Inconvenience
by elsac2
Summary: Rick and michonne have known each other their entire life. She was his little sister best friend, and he always had quite a hate relationship with her. She was a brat who never kept her mouth shut. He made a promise to her. One day he will ruin her life. However, fate has a mind of its own, which is an inconvenience.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own the walking dead.**

 **I know I'm starting a new story, but I needed to push this one out so I could focus on the arrangement update.**

 **Please review.**

* * *

 **Prologue: welcome home**.

* * *

Ten years wasted away, but it does not feel as if time has passed. However, his childhood home has more tales to share. Rick inhales the fresh air, and he opens the driver window. He stares at the endless British garden, which is out of place in the Deep South. Standing tall with its vibrant green, the garden is a reminder of his grandfather eccentricity.

Slowly, tears pool in the corner of his eyes. The young man thumbs press on his tear duct, and it is enough to stop the building torrent. Another deep breath calms his nerves, and Rick looks ahead. He hates this place and the history, which coats the crumbling walls. The memories continue to be oppressive, and some memories, which he long ago forgot resurface. He hates this place and its multiple secrets.

The young man inhales again, and he considers his next move. He could return to New York and forget about this family gathering. For the past ten years, his absence has never bothered anyone. They are now used to it, but his grandfather's message may express the contrary. Rick's heart has a slow beat, and his mind continues to bask on the tragic past. He pulls his window down and continues to seek fresh air.

Undecided, he rests his head on the steering wheel. From the private parking, he hears the loud noises. There are joyful laughs, and he recognizes a few voices. A soft feminine laugh echoes louder than the others, and his scarred heart rediscover the sharp pain of betrayal. Rick fails to inhale, and the tears refill his eyes. Her laughs continue to have the same echo.

His finger tightly holds the wheel, and he makes his decision. The young man closes his car window and glances at the ranch with a heavy heart. Rick starts his brand new sports car, and he is ready to leave King County as he did ten years ago. He hates this place and the lives who continue to thrive in such a miserable place.

…

…

…

Too lost in his thought, he forgets to drive away. The loud noise of his motor attracts the wrong attention. Rick does not notice her until her hand hits his car window. He raises his head to meet her bright grin. The young man freezes, and he continues to stare at her smile. The young woman continues to knock at his window.

"Fuck," He whispers between closed teeth, and the young man hesitates on his next move.

He did not expect anyone to discover his presence. Is it too late to make a quick exit? Warry blue eyes clash with glistening irises. Tears of joy have already filled the young woman's eyes. A hand on her heart and her wide smile are enough of an answer for Rick. It is too late to exit cowardly. The young man takes a deep breath, but he does not lower the car windows nor does he open the door.

His reluctance to any action does not faze the newcomer. She raises her hand and points her finger down. Rick understands the meaning of her hand movement, but he is not sure about the appropriate action. There must be a way to exit the ranch before the interaction goes beyond what he can tolerate. He continues to warm his car's motor, and his foot caresses the pedal.

He raises his head and stares into vibrant blue eyes, which widen to appeal to his soft heart. The same heart, which he wants to protect by leaving the ranch before it is too late. However, Rick Grimes always had a heart too big. He lowers the car's windows and offers a warm smile to his favourite cousin or his almost little sister Maggie.

"You came!" Excited, she shouts on top of her air-filled lungs.

The sound hurts Rick's eardrum, but it warms his hesitant heart. Her excitement starts to nip at his hesitation.

At least some missed me. He thinks, and the thought comforts the young man.

Rick is not sure that he is welcome in his family home. After what he said and did the last time, he expects some hateful reaction to his presence at the family brunch. Some might not have forgotten or forgiven. Although, very few people know what he did. Perhaps, the secrecy protects him. Rick continues to lose himself in his thought. He almost forgets about his cousin until the high pitch of Maggie cries of joy reminds him of her presence by his side.

Maggie misses the signs of turmoil on his face. Quickly and efficiently, she slides her hand through the lowered car window, and she unlocks the door. With a strong pull on Rick's arm, she drags her cousin out of the car. Her shaking arms wrap themselves around Rick's neck. She kisses his cheeks an incommensurable amount of time. The high pitch laugh, which escapes her lips, threatens the young man's hearing ability.

"You came…You came." The young woman continues to repeat in an awe.

Ten years passed since their last visual contact. Although Maggie tried to establish any sort of contact, Rick has not allowed anything from the past in his present life. Old grudges, which he wrongfully allocated. A shame, which continues to keep him rooted in a sought solitude.

"I did?" He replies to ensure that this moment is real.

Although, how real is the moment does not matter to him. Rick missed his almost sister, and so he returns the intensity of her hug. A bright laugh fills the parking while he spins her around as if she is still the young child, who he used to carry around the town. Rick has seen Maggie transitioned from childhood to adolescence, but he missed the transition to womanhood.

When he left, she was seventeen and presently, she is twenty-seven. Now, her age has ceased to matter, and she feels a lot like her younger self, who idolized Rick. When he puts her down, she soundly kisses his cheek and takes his hand. Her excitement continues to silence his fear, and it is easier to drag him around.

…

…

…

"Grandpa Richard and uncle Carlton will be so happy to see you." She adds while she continues to drag him toward the Grimes' humongous country home.

At the mention of both men, Rick's heart beats at two different paces. From a peaceful beat to a frantic one. One reaction is pure joy and impatience to meet the man, who he loves so much, but the other one is a mixture of too many emotions, which he cannot express. He inhales and tries to stop the motion.

"They will?" Absently, he questions the young woman, who continues to drag him through corridors.

Rick knows his grandfather will be happy to see him because he is present at the man's request. However, he is unsure of his father's reaction. Through the years, their relationship has deteriorated until it ceased to exist.

The house is humongous, and Rick forgot that detail. He has forgotten many details about the ranch and the stories attached to it. His coping mechanism the past year has turned around selective amnesia, and he slept most of his despicable mistakes under the rug. Despite his best efforts, he continues to remember why he left and who carries the blame. If only she had kept his secret, life would have been different in the past ten years.

The young man stops in front of the living room's door, and the voices resonate louder. Two voices rise above the other one, and the laughs become deafening. Abruptly, Rick stops moving, and his body tenses. Maggie can no longer drag him, but they are almost inside the room. The young woman stamps with impatience while she faces the closed door. She needs to show to the entire family that the prodigal son has returned.

"Come on Rick. I can't believe you came." Excited, she adds more strength to her pulling motion, but Rick does not budge from his spot.

He becomes an unmovable mountain, and he does not feel ready to face the ghost of his horrendous past. Rick inhales, and the stress invades his bloodstream. The young man can taste the bitter bile on his tongue, and her smile flashes behind his closed lids. Instinctively, he steps back, but Maggie's firm hands prevent his escape.

"Maggie, please slow down." Out of breath, Rick pleads.

The emotions overwhelm him. He inhales and stares at the door. Their voices continue to become louder. He can say who is present, and he recognizes every undertone, which adds a distinctive touch to their voice. From his father's voice to his stepmother soft laugh, and the heavy drawl of mister jones' voice, which echoes against every wall. The joyous laugh of his grandpa's best friend reminds Rick of old times. There are two younger voices, which he does not recognise. However, his grandfather's voice glues Rick's feet to the floor. The voice is so rich and so warm, and he admits that he missed his grandpa.

"I can't slow down, and you have to meet everyone," Maggie adds a soothing smile to her statement.

Her look appears to say more than her words, but Rick brushes away his suspicions. Only a selected few know his secret, and the smiling young woman does not understand his fears. The young man tries to silence his anxiety, and he will have to pretend for a few hours.

"Have you met my husband oh and the children. Hurry up." Excitement carries Maggie's voice further than the corridor.

Rick stares at Maggie while he discovers that she is married. Ten years of complete silence, which will have continued if his grandfather had not sent the cryptic text. The young man is only present because he worries about his grandfather's health. For years, Rick has forgotten what he means to have a family, and he does not want a reminder.

…

…

….

….

"Can I have a minute to breathe?" Rick pleads while they continue to close the distance to the door.

Maggie turns to face him, and a deep frown twists her feature. She quizzically stares at Rick, but she does not vocalize anything. The young woman squeezes her cousin's hand, and she continues to lead the way. Only a few remaining inches before chaos returns to his life. Rick feels helpless, and he does not want to relive his intricate past. The young man does not want to face his past mistakes, and he does not want the stares to incriminate him.

"You had ten years to breathe, Ricky. Now, you have..." She stops in the middle of her chastising tirade, and she opens the door.

Maggie's eyes search the room for a particular person. When she spots him, her excitement increases, and she drags a helpless Rick inside the living room. The option of running away totally disappears. Rick attempts to plaster a smile on his tightly closed lips, and he straightens his posture. It is an impromptu return in the lions' den.

"Grandpa...grandpa look who is here." Her words tumble on each other to come out.

Maggie is too excited to make sense, and she pushes Rick toward their grandfather. Her hands firmly placed on his broad shoulder, she keeps her cousin under the sudden spotlight. Eyes are on him, and two pairs of them have a lot to say. Blue irises seek the sight of the ground, and he tries to avoid few judgemental looks. Rick's eyes peruse the room, and they meet three empty chairs.

One chaise belongs to Maggie, and the second chaise should be his. Consequently, he assumes the third chaise must be hers. She is a sort of a lifelong nemesis. She is the teenager, who ruined his life because secrecy was a concept, which she understood. Everyone else is of attendance, and he discovers two new faces. They are young children, and they may be his younger half-sibling. Blond hair, pale skin, and blue eyes are very distinctive traits. Definitely, they favour their mother Jessica or Jessie for the intimates.

The young boys look nothing like Grimes, but the remark will awaken a decaying cadaver. After his misplaced thought, Rick stares at his father and the stare, which he receives in return, says a lot. The animosity has not disappeared, but he did not expect it to disappear. Water has not passed under the bridge, and ten years of silence does not help the resolution of their conflict. Unable to support the accusation in the older man's eyes, Rick looks away for a second.

"Young Richard." The voice of Mister Jones (or Grandpa Morgan as Rick has called him his entire life) draws him out of the staring contest with his father.

Rick exhales, and he attempts to release the fury before it influences his reaction. The young man faces his grandfather's best friend with a smile, and he returns Morgan's warm hug.

"Haven't you become a man?" Morgan muses while he breaks away the embrace with the newcomer.

"When the rascal left, he was already a man." Rick's grandfather or Richard senior corrects his friend.

At twenty-two years old, society assumes that a person is a man. Consequently, Rick was a man when he chose to leave king county and never look back. He ran with his secrets, his anger, and the shame of his actions.

Morgan's pat Rick's back, and it feels like the younger years of his life. The older man continues to smell like black tea and wisdom. Rick smiles at the old men banter. Morgan says than twenty-two is still boyhood, and Richard senior feels the need to disprove his best friend. The exchange continues for a few minutes. For the first, Rick remembers that he used to love the ranch. The banter between the two old men, who he knows as grandpa, is a scene straight out of his childhood, and it is a sort of unexpected comfort

"Give me back my grandchild, Morgan." Richard senior approaches Rick and engulfs the young man into a strong hug.

The association of a rib-breaking hug and the rampant sensitiveness turns breathing into a complicated task for Rick. However, the young man will not ungratefully complain. He tightens the hug, and it lasts for a minute.

"Thank you for coming." The old man whispers in Rick's ear.

"I know you don't want to be here, but well..." His voice drops lower when he brushes his own secret, but he does not finish speaking.

Very few in the room know what is happening with Richard senior. At the exception of Morgan and Rick, which needed to have a strong incentive to attend a family reunion. However, the old man will announce it in a week once he has a few businesses in order. With a warm smile, he faces his grandchild, and he drags him into another hug.

* * *

Cigarettes in hand, she tries to calm herself. She peers outsides, and they are many cars. How did she forget about Georgia's sun? Sweat runs down her forehead, and she attempts to wipe it. She must resemble nothing like the glamorous celebrity, who she is. Michonne drags her rear-view mirror, and she attempts to fix the make-up, which the ardent heat destroyed. Exasperated by the state of her sweat-covered visage, she dramatically sighs. The young woman stares at the garden outside, and she wonders why she came.

"I hate this place." Michonne whines when her agent picks up the phone.

She pulls on her cigarette and blows smoke in circles. The young woman continues to stare at the English garden, which does not fit well with the rest of the landscape. The smoke in the car does not disappear, and so she opens the window. The humid heat assaults her, and her sweaty skin becomes sticky. Every little inconvenience is a reminder of why she so happily left this place behind.

"This place will be good for your image." Her agent replies with disinterest.

After her scandal, he could care less about her hatred of the little town. He needs the young starlet to control the damage, and they have to work on her image.

"Presently, nothing can help with my public image. Should I remind you that we tried everything?" Michonne counters her agent allegation.

She takes another deep inhalation of the warm smoke of her cigarette, but it does not help her nerves. She throws the carcinogen object by the window, and she searches inside her glovebox for something stronger. However, her agent must have emptied it. The young woman curses and the need to return to New York increases. Michonne does not want to spend a minute in king county, but she does not have a choice after receiving a summon.

"They just refuse to forget about that scandal. A week later and I can still see the picture everywhere." She continues to speak while she massages her temples.

It is a waste of effort. The combination of the heat and her frustration results in a strong headache. In addition, she is battling a hangover. For a second, she does not understand what her agent replies. She inhales and she walks out of the car. The heat engulfs her, and Michonne continues to curse the small town. Five years after leaving King county, she has yet to regret her decision.

"The sales of your album are dropping. Your first attempt at acting might as well be the last one," her agent reminds her, and his tone announces an angry argument.

Michonne closes her eyes, and she attempts a breathing technique, which she learned in her yoga class. It appears to work and she pursues her conversation. The young woman cannot believe how fast the wind change in Hollywood. A few days ago, she had the perfect career, and a little scandal threatens to destroy everything. Now, she has to do damage control and pretends for the public eyes. However, coming back to king county even for an hour appears to be an extreme punishment.

"I know Philip, and you don't need you to tell me." Her frustration returns, and she regrets throwing her cigarette.

"So I don't have to remind you to polish your pure country sweetheart image." Patronizingly, her agent Philip Blake adds.

Michonne does not appreciate his tone. When the entire situation is in perspective, he is the one to blame for this scandal. However, she bites her tongue because she does not want to start a pointless argument.

"You should have thought about it before you offered me the cocaine." Despite her best effort, she snaps at him.

She closes her eyes and tries to forget that she might lose her career over a paparazzi picture. A week ago at a party, Paparazzi took a picture of Michonne jones also known as America sweetheart snorting a line of cocaine. Days later, the scandal continues to gain traction. Hot topics after hot topics, she is the industry talk and the proof that Hollywood ruin the pure souls. It is not only bad for her career but for the entire industry. Slowly, she is becoming a pariah.

"Babe, I didn't know you never had a line before. Why would I mess with my business like that?" Philip, who is more than just her agent, says with a lack of remorse.

"I..." She stops mid-sentence when she pots a familiar face.

"Michonne?" He questions her abrupt silence

"I have to go. The welcome comity just stepped out of the house." She whispers as the person continues to close the distance between them.

"Please behave and let the paparazzi take a maximum picture." In a very business oriented way, he adds.

For him, Michonne's purpose in king county covers a publicity stunt. It is a return to her country girl roots.

"Philip, you know..." he interrupts her before she can form a proper argument.

"I don't want to hear anything about privacy. As long as you are still painted out like a toxico in these streets. We're losing money, and so smile while you're doing what they do in small villages. Be America sweetheart." He does not allow any space for argumentation.

"I will try, but now I have to go. Love you, babe." Softly, she agrees with his demand.

Michonne tries to be private, but Philip often tries to broadcast their life. Now, she is against the wall, and she is easier to convince.

"Okay and please no bitch resting face." He adds in a very serious tone.

Michonne does not know what could be the adequate reaction. She stutters while she tries to find an answer.

"Philip...Philip," she repeats but he has already disconnected the call.

"Great..." she cries annoyed, but she plastered a smile when her grandfather reaches her.

"Michonne." Maggie cries with joy, and she stands to hug her childhood friend.

…

…

…

..

With open arms, Michonne catches an excited Maggie. She returns the hug, and in a quick glance, she shares a conversation. Both women have a lot of catch up to do, and it is a tacit agreement that they will spend the night doing so. Michonne takes a deep breath, and she faces the rest of the table. Purposely, she avoids three people on the table. With a polite smile, she attempts to hide her discomfort.

"Baby girl." Richard senior calls for her.

A wide grin spreads on Michonne's lip, and she runs into the old man arms. He places a kiss on her forehead, and he pulls her chubby cheeks as he always does. The young woman pouts in a sort of old habit. They both laugh at their antics. For a second, Michonne forgets that she hates this little town.

"Grandpas." She addresses her grandfather Morgan and Richard senior.

Michonne looks for a seat, and she tries to avoid the empty one. Ten years later, she continues to remember the hurtful words that he told her. She helplessly stands in the middle of the living room, and she forces her eyes to stray away from three people. The heaviness of hold secret threatens to suffocate her, but she attempts to brush her old fear away.

"Take a seat near Richard, baby." With a soft tone, Morgan orders his grandchild.

In a second, Michonne's expression morphed into a canvas of despair. She stands her ground, and she cannot flinch a muscle. She does not even dare to glance in his direction. After a minute of self-encouragement, the young woman risks a glance. It is a rush of confusing emotion, and she almost feels like a terrified little girl. The air ceases to supply her lungs, but she attempts another glance at Rick. Unfortunately, He returns her glance, and their eyes lock on each other.

A figment of her imagination but the conversation around her has stopped. The world has blurred and only blue irises continue to exist. In ten years, nothing has changed, and she finds the same dark mixture of emotions in his eyes. Her heart strongly constricts, and the blood rushes to the capillaries under her cheek. She tries to avert her eyes, but he does not want to release her look.

"How old are you both?" Richard senior question when he notices the weird interaction between the youths.

"Twenty-seven and thirty-two. Does he still scare you?" Morgan supplies the answer for both of them, and he proceeds to embarrass his granddaughter.

Michonne forces herself to break the spell. Although, she does not find the courage to take the empty seat. She knows what she saw in the agitated blue of his eyes. Ten years later, he continues to hate her. She inhales and attempts to empty her minds, but a specific night wants to resurface. She wants to push the memory of his blue eyes away from her thought. She glances back at Rick, and now, he chooses to ignore her.

"Grandpa." She complains, but Morgan's statement carries an ounce of truth.

She was not always afraid of Rick, and it took a specific night. Beforehand, she used to be a timid girl with a huge crush on her best friend's brother.

"The very famous singer and actress, Michonne Jones continues to be afraid of Richard junior." Her grandfather continues his teasing.

"grandpa, I'm not afraid of...Rick." She stutters when he abruptly raises his head to look at her.

She wants to walk out of the room, and the disdain in his look infuriates her. Michonne attempts to take a deep breath, and it is a futile task. He continues to look at her, and she relives that tumultuous night. Words of apology threaten to live her lips or maybe she will explain the entire situation.

"Morgan, stop teasing Michonne. Baby girl, you can come to sit by me." Richard senior intervenes.

"It is fine. I will take the empty seat." The strength of her pride pushes her to answer.

Her steps are unconfident, but she walks up to the chair by Rick. Careful to avoid contact, she sits but it is pointless because her arm overrides his forearm. Michonne intends to move her arm as soon as she comfortably sits, but Rick is faster. He grabs her hand with his thumb and forefinger, and he discards it as if it is a leprosy-infected object. Michonne convinces herself to remain calm, and she subtly moves her chaise away from Rick's one. Ten years after the incident, he continues to hate her. She has long ceased to be hurt by his hatred, but there is a residual ache.

"Now everyone is here we should have dinner." Richard senior announces, and Michonne does not have an appetite.

She steals another glance at Rick, and she remembers why she hates King county. It has to do with his ten years of absence or perhaps, it has to do with his presence.

* * *

Hours later, he cannot push away thought of her. Rick pulls out his computer and attempts to work. It ends in another failure to focus, and his mind wants to think about Michonne. She no longer resembles the girl, which he started to hate ten years ago. Before the fatidical night, she was Maggie's best friend and Grandpa Morgan's daughter. A little teenager, who will become quiet in his presence, and it changed in a night. She found her tongue and ruined life with it.

He would not have recognized her after ten years, and it is strange because he continues to hate her. She has become a pretty woman, and it is a strange thing that he noticed. However, he spends the entire dinner staring at her. Rick does not remember eating, but he remembers studying every detail of her visage. Now, his mind wants to review the same detail. Frustrated, he closes his computer and unceremoniously throws his body to his bed. He closes his eyes, and he does not want to think about Michonne jones or anyone else. Although, his last conversation with her resurfaces. He remembers the tears in her eyes and the anger in his voice.

"Fuck." He curses and opens his eyes.

A knock on his door becomes his saving grace. His thoughts are too heavy, and Rick just wants to forget about the past. However, the past walk around this ranch. It lives in three judgemental eyes.

"Can I come in?" Richard senior's voice fills the room.

"Yes, grandpa." Rick answers and he is thankful for the interruption.

Three hours spent musing about Michonne makes him furious. He sits and makes space on his bed for his grandfather. The young man knows to expect a difficult conversation with the older man. Perhaps, a lecture about disappearing for years, which he does not want to hear.

"How are you settling in?" his grandfather asks.

"Nothing has changed much," Rick answers while he looks around.

The wallpaper in his old room has not changed, and apart from the dust around nothing was added. The place looks like a mausoleum to his person, and so he does not feel comfortable. The emotions of the past continue to resurface. The anger and the rejection of guilt, for Rick nothing has changed.

"Apart from you and me." Richard senior corrects.

He looks at a grandson, who he knows very little of his life. Rick has a successful multinational, and he is a successful CEO, who made the Forbes list. However, Richard senior does not know the intimate detail. Does he have a girlfriend? Is he happy? Ten years and so many things lost through the wasted years.

"Yeah, although you do have new grandchildren." Rick points with slight curiosity.

"Sweet kids, but..." A knock at the door interrupts him before he can share another family secret.

…

…

….

"Grandpa..." Michonne opens the door but she stops when she notices Rick.

She wants to close the door, but Richard senior stands to open the door widely. The young woman doesn't have a choice and she enters into Rick's private space. Curiosity, which needed to be fed ten years ago, roars, and she attempts to catch detail about the owner. There is dust on everything, and the room has its story much like the looks between them.

"I see Morgan must have started to tell you the news." His voice brings her out of the inspection of Rick's space.

"I'm so sorry..." she starts but the words are too hollow.

"For what I am an old man, lived my life to the fullest. Still has a few more month to continue living. I will have you around." Richard senior brushes away her worries.

The old man has discovered that he had an advanced stage of cancer. In a very resilient fashion, he already made peace with his fate. However, he wants to take care of a few businesses.

"I thought I will find her with you. She always like this room." Morgan enters the room, and he walks to his granddaughter.

"I was looking for grandpa Richard, and Maggie told me he was in... Rick's room" She continues to have trouble with Rick's name, and the murderous glance of the young man contribute to her anxiety.

"I didn't mean to interrupt anything." Michonne continues to speak, and she notices Rick's eyes on her.

She takes a deep breath, and she decides to ignore him. What needed to be said, she heard it ten years ago. He should not scare her because ten years ago he made a promise to her. She is not a teenager recovering from a heartbreak. She is Michonne jones, Grammy winner and she can confront him if the necessity to do so exits.

"You didn't interrupt much and your timing was quite perfect." Rick's grandfather reassures her.

"Perhaps, you may want to sit." Morgan supplies.

"Okay." She sits and looks at her grandfathers.

"Should I or should you?" Morgan questions Richard senior.

"As you both know, I'm in the terminal phase of a colon cancer. Nothing much we can do but spend time together." He starts as an introduction.

For a second, Michonne glances at Rick, and she finds compassion in his eyes. The news is strong enough to subdue the existing animosity between them. Instinctively, she moves closer to him. She tries to hold his hand, but he moves it out of her reach. It is a transient cordiality and she should not assume otherwise. Although, he does not move away when she sits by his side.

"And you imagine I will be too busy to take care of family business. Morgan does not want to do it alone." Richard senior continues his monologue.

The old man worked on his speech for a few days, and he does not want to waste time with his goal. He places a comforting hand on Rick's shoulder, and it grounds the young man. Rick inhales and his hand recovers his grandfather's one. He expected the news, but the confirmation is hard to listen. Subconsciously attracted by the human warmth, He leans closer to Michonne, but he corrects his posture when he notices.

"We created it when we were young and inseparable. Now, we're old and somethang doesn't change. Richard will need all of my help, and I won't be able to control the business." Morgan interjects when the emotions overtake his old friend.

"I think you should have this conversation with dad," Rick says.

He does not want to talk about business. He wants to hug his grandfather and prays for a recovery. The young man doesn't care about the trivial matter.

"If he didn't listen to or allow his gold digger of wife to control him, we would have talked to him. I didn't work that long to lose it over your father stupidity." Richard senior was never a man of diplomacy.

"We know you're both doing great in life. Rick, the company is right up your alley of expertise." Morgan intervenes

"I don't really have a role or the ability to do anything." Michonne joins the conversation.

" I don't have any other relative. You get to have what I have." Morgan ignores her concern.

"I have a career. Grandpa." She counters.

"I know, and we thought about it." In a soothing tone, Richard senior respond.

"I could buy her shares." Rick proposes.

He cannot work with Michonne. He does not want to imagine a future when he is forced to interact with the woman. Her mere presence brings back the anger that he no longer wants to feel. Strangely, tonight her presence is a sort of comfort. Her arm brushing his arm continues to ground him when he wants to break into tears. Her warmth keeps away the tremor, which threatens to shake his body to the core. However, he continues to hate her.

"Not an option. Grimes and jones should continue to be Grimes and Jones." Firmly, Richard senior dismisses the idea.

"We have been thinking about it for years, and there is a close in my will and Morgan's one. When it became clear that your father wasn't to be trusted with money, and I had to retake the company. You became the best choice." His voice retrieves its warmth.

"You're twenty-seven years, and Rick is thirty-two years old. We just think you're mature enough..." Morgan starts to stutter when Rick's angry eyes meet his.

"Oh please don't let it be what I think." With a tone, which expresses his incredulity, Rick almost shout.

"Richard." His grandfather tries to chastise him.

"No, and even less with her." He replies with a glint of fury.

Suddenly, Michonne warmth is no longer grounding. Rick walks away from her, and he cannot help the depreciative laugh. If they knew the history between him and their precious Michonne, they will never ask something so ludicrous. He glances at the young woman, and his stares continue to be intense. He continues to pick detail. She is physically different. She is extremely beautiful, and his hatred for her cannot make him deny such fact. However, she is the same brat, who ruined his life.

"Can it be cleared for me?" Michonne asks.

"You're inheritance comes with A few conditions." Morgan offers and Rick laughs.

"I think a marriage of convenience is more than a few conditions."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the review and follow, so the update took forever but I had a clinical skills competition and a five stations exam.**

 **However, here it is.**

 **I do not own the walking dead.**

 **Please, review and let me here your theories.**

* * *

 **Chapter I: The memory lane.**

* * *

"Richard." His grandfather tries to chastise him.

"No, and even less with her." He replies with a glint of fury.

Suddenly, Michonne warmth is no longer grounding. Rick walks away from her, and he cannot help the depreciative laugh. He stares at her, and his fury increases to a new high. The anger is so strong that he can taste the bitterness of regurgitated bile on his tongue. In an attempt to recover a sort of balance, he looks away from Michonne, and he focuses on his grandfather.

If they knew the history between him and their precious Michonne, they will never ask something so ludicrous. He glances at the young woman because he can't prevent it, and his stares continue to be intense. He continues to pick detail with every glance. She is physically different, and as a girl, she was lanky. AS a teenager, her body was curvier. As a woman, he can't prevent the stare at her body. Through different phase of her life, her beauty is a constant.

Michonne is extremely beautiful, and his hatred for her cannot make him deny such fact. However, she is the same brat, who ruined his life. Rick's anger with the young woman overpowers the unavoidable masculine interest for a beautiful woman. His interest for her beauty appears to be a source of discomfort, and it is a source of confusion. A confused and angry mind is a vicious one, and so Rick picks every word with the intent to be hurtful. It is also a coward attempt to cover an unexpected interest for a pretty visage.

"Can it be cleared for me?" Michonne asks.

The young woman looks between the men in the room, and the expressions on their face are grave enough to provoke a change in her heart rate. The young woman draws a deep breath, and she attempts to fight her anxiety. However, Michonne is prone to anxiety crisis. When one of the men in the room hates her, it is enough to stress her.

"You're inheritance comes with A few conditions." Morgan offers and Rick laughs.

"I think a marriage of convenience is more than a few conditions." Rick's venom and anger latch on every word.

Michonne's reaction is not immediate, and the deep breath, which she takes, is useless. She stares at Rick, and the words, which he says, don't matter. However, the tone and the vicious anger laced between those words sting to the point where her chest constricts. The young woman searches inside her pockets for a packet of cigarette and her hand recovers a broken cigarette. For a second, she forgets that she is in a presence of her grandfather, and she needs some of the nicotine to take the edge of her anger. Although, when Rick adds more to his previous statement, she forgets about the lone cigarette in the left pocket of her jeans. The young woman offers Rick her undivided attention.

…

…

…

…

The sudden anguish and the amount of stress, Michonne's head starts to spin. The young woman needs to breathe, but his words continue to ring in her head. No one appears to notice her lack of motion. Michonne doesn't know how to deal with criticism. With her lifestyle, it is a serious problem. Rick's words start to echo louder in her mind, and she wants to shut herself out of this conversation.

For the last minutes, she stared at Rick, while he continued his vicious rant on the reason why he can't marry her. The young woman develops a selective hearing, and Rick's words are the only thing, which she hears and understands. There are virulent attacks on her personality, and she hasn't met or spoken to him for ten years. Nothing that he says is true nor has been true, but she can't prevent the hurt.

"Do you have no idea of what or who she is?" His voice continues to rise higher, and it overpowers the other two voices inside the room.

The statement is enough to snap Michonne out of her initial shock. Hands still in her pocket, she crushes her last cigarette until the paper, which contains the tobacco leaves, ruptures. Her sole source of relief disappears, and her frustration threatens to swallow her. Ultimately, she stands from the spot, which she previously took on Rick's bed. Michonne closes the distance between her and Rick, and she invades his personal space. Although, he manages to hurt her more with a quick judgmental glance at her. It shouldn't hurt because he doesn't intimately know her. However, her mind refuses to resonate.

"And you do have an idea of who I'm." She punctuates her statement with an uncertain chuckle, which perfectly displays her disbelief.

"You?" Her chuckles become more hysteric, and Rick continues to refuse to acknowledge her.

It is more than hatred, and they both know it. Michonne doesn't understand why, but she senses the animosity. It hasn't always been this bad or this vicious. Once upon on the time, she uses to inspire a bit of annoyance, but she was a teen with a crush on him. The young woman can't pinpoint the source of his sudden hatred. However, the hatred exists, and it consumes Rick.

In truth, she doesn't remember much of their common past. Michonne can talk about the butterflies in her stomach when he used to glance in her directions. When she was a blossoming young woman, he was the big brother of her best friend. Rick was also the man, who she loved since she was thirteen because he saved her from bullies. She has no memory of when he hates her. With his eyes on her, she recognizes one emotion in those darkening blue orbs, hatred.

She remembers the alcohol and a family extravagant party. She remembers staring in his electrifying eyes too long, and she remembers the warmth of Maggie's arms when she consoled her after what happened. Perhaps, she saw a glimpse of that hatred during the fatidical night. Michonne will never forget those eyes, and she will continue to experience a sort of pain. Surely, it started that night.

It happened ten years ago, and it happened on a festive night. The next morning they were shouts and cries in the Grimes' ranch. Michonne doesn't remember the reason for the party, and she doesn't remember what people said. From the fatidical night, very little memory stood the test of time. However, she remembers the morning when he grabbed her by the elbow and shoved her in a wall. However, the last morning she saw him there wasn't so much hatred in his eyes, and it must have festered over the years.

There is a kiss, which never disappeared from her memory. The butterflies sometimes return at the thought of it. Now, she remembers why he kissed her, a mistletoe. It was Christmas Eve, and when he left, it was Christmas morning.

….

….

…

….

The rush of past memories confuses Michonne. Suddenly, she is thirteen years old, and he appears too tall while he pushes her behind him. She cries with her head resting on his stomach, and her fat tears drench his denim shirt. The young woman doesn't know why that specific memory resurfaces, but it is vivid. She attempts to find a refuge in her mind. Michonne needs to hide from Rick's hatred, and that singular memory refuses to disappear.

 _I will be back, and you sit tight. His_ voice will never carry such softness, and Michonne raises her head to face the grown version of her childhood love. Those feelings dissolved with time like many other things related to king county, but the little girl who idolater Rick Grimes, has to take down her hero from a pedestal.

 _What did you do?_

Her mind refuses to reconcile this Rick Grimes with his younger self. Michonne's thoughts continue to explore the warmest memories of Rick Grimes, which she possesses. She remembers staring at the boys, who bullied her while he scolded them until they were in tears. For years, she saw Rick Grimes as her personal hero. Although, it didn't fall until tonight. Michonne attempts to understand, and she searches her mind. Did he always hate her? Did he start to hate her that Christmas morning? The fury in eyes when he shoved her into that wall, and she has an answer. It started that morning, and she wouldn't be able to say why.

 _I told them that if one of them ever pulled your braids again, I would make sure they pay for it. So if this happens again, you just have to tell me._

Confused and unexplainably hurt, Michonne stares at Rick, and she wonders why she thought that he had the warmest smile on earth. Now, he faces her and she wishes that she could disappear. There is only anger for her, and she passes her hand in her hair. Fourteen years ago, they were hardly past her neck, which is why those boys started to pick on her. Now, her hair caresses her small back, and her childhood saviour has become the bully.

 _These are locks._

 _My bad, they're very pretty._

Ultimately, she succeeds to banish that memory, and she tries to face reality. Rick Grimes hates her, and she doesn't know why. Michonne ceases to stare at his eyes, and she needs the distance between them back. However, she continues to stands too close to him, and she wonders what she wants to say. How does one face ten years of fueled hatred?

"You hate me?" The intonation easily makes it sound like a question, but Michonne only expresses disbelief.

Hatred, not annoyance, nor irritation like the one Rick felt ten years ago. He hates her and she doesn't know the reason why. Michonne inhales as much air as she can. When he glances at her, the young woman has her rhetorical question answered. It is sudden and instinctive, and she moves the furthest away from Rick

"Richard doesn't hate you, baby. He is being a stubborn idiot and we know words of an idiot are meaningless." Richard senior intervenes after Rick's silent answer.

"It isn't the words…" She counters, and she wishes they could see what stares at her in his eyes.

"I don't really think you can convince Rick Grimes to enter a marriage of convenience with me. He hates me and I would want to marry a man who hates over some million dollar company." Michonne attempts to regain countenance.

The young woman just wants to leave this room, and she discovers a claustrophobia. When Rick's eyes follow every one of her movements, it is hard to stand in this room. Michonne shoves her hand in the pocket, and her frustration only increases. Why did she not think to have another packet of cigarettes? Her grandfather, she has to pretend around him. She inhales more her, and she pretends.

"Billions of dollar, but it isn't enough to force me to marry you. You know what they say about the association with a junky." Rick corrects her and the last comment has the expected effect.

"Richard?" Richard senior attempts to diffuse the situation while he stares at Morgan apologetically.

The other older man simply shakes his head, and he glances at his granddaughter. Morgan does not ignore his granddaughter's latest scandal, and he intends to address it in due time. Consequently, he decides to overlook Rick's statement.

"Oh, are we pretending we don't know she does in those Hollywood parties? There is a flattering picture out there…" A slap interrupts Rick's rant.

Michonne's fingers press his cheek, and her anger matches his. For a second, Rick's hand covers her, and he does not know how to react. Blue collides with brown, and the other two occupants of the room consider the next course of action. The intensity of the silent exchange between the pair starts to provoke discomfort in the room. Rick's hand totally engulfs Michonne's one, and he pulls her hand away from his face. For unknown reasons, the young man continues to hold Michonne's hand. He stares at it in search of the perfect reaction to her slap.

"Perhaps, you both need to breathe and talk when the air is less tense." Morgan's voice echoes in the room.

It is enough to remind the pair of their present predicament. Rick lets go of Michonne's hand as if it is hot charcoal, and he walks out of his room.

* * *

Two hours later and after thirty minutes spent in a bath, Michonne continue to overthink her exchange with Rick. Her mind has turned the question and studied every angle of it. However, there is no reason for his hatred. Her anger with him returns, and the words, which he said in that room, start to haunt her. She does not want to marry him. She is in an approximately happy relationship, and she loves Philip.

Her anger should have subdued, but her mind refuses to let go of Rick Grimes' words. Michonne goes to her cupboard, and she tries to locate a packet of cigarette. The new paper may have painted her as a drug addict, but her only addiction is smoking. The cocaine was a mistake and wrongfully placed enthusiasm. The young woman snorted a line because Philip begged her to try, and he coerced her into it. Now, there are pictures on magazine covers, and men like Rick Grimes decided that she could not be a good wife.

Michonne sighs with frustration, and she taps on temples. Perhaps, it will push out thoughts of Rick. Two hours and a thirty-minute bath have not helped her to calm down. The young woman picks her phone up, and she calls the person, which she wants to comfort her. The first call to Philip goes straight to the voicemail, and she places a second call.

"Pick up…pick-up." She whispers while the phone endlessly rings.

It may be her tenth call, and Michonne cannot tell. Her anger has become fury, and she needs a way to release the pent-up energy. She decides to change her methods to reach her boyfriend. Michonne places another call, and she hopes it will go through. She inhales while she waits for an answer. It is her night of fortune, and the call goes through.

"Hey?" Michonne hesitantly starts, and she knows how her friend will react.

"Michonne?" Her friend questions half-asleep while she rechecks the caller id.

It is late at night or early in the morning, and the young woman hopes there is no emergency. For the Last year eight years, she was Michonne's assistance. However, things have changed over the years. When Michonne started to date Philip, things became chaotic. Now, Michonne's night calls are causes of worry for her assistant.

"Sorry to call so late, but I need your help, Sasha. Do you have an idea on why Philips is not answering his call?" Michonne forgets about her hesitation, but the shame in her voice is easily recognizable.

On the other side of the phone, Sasha hisses. If there is a person, who hates Michonne's boyfriend, it is Sasha Williams.

"Forget about it." She answers abrasively, and she intends to hang up when Michonne's statement stops her.

"You work for me." Frustrated, Michonne attempts to threaten Sasha.

However, Michonne's voice betrays her lack of confidence. For a long minute, her assistant laughs at the threat. It is a gleeful laugh, which frustrates Michonne. Now, the young woman regrets calling Sasha. Two years from now, Michonne started dating her agent Philip Blake, and never once, Sasha has missed an opportunity to remind her of Philip's flaws.

"Are you going to fire your cousin? You know where he is, and you don't want to do something about it." Her laugh increases, but Michonne knows she cannot ignore the last statement.

The young woman knows where and why her boyfriend is not picking his phone. Another Hollywood party or what he calls networking. Although, Michonne's career started to become stagnant. Before the scandal, she slowly started to fall into irrelevancy, but Philip was networking. The only reason why the young woman was at a party where the paparazzi took those compromising pictures was her growing jealousy. There are many rumours circulating about Michonne's boyfriend, and there are fuelling Sasha frustration with Philip.

"I will call Andrea then she may be helpful..." Frustrated by her cousin's reaction, Michonne spits the words with a little venom.

Another laugh from Sasha punctuates the statement before Michonne can add more. If Sasha could not tolerate Philip, Andrea hated the man or at least she appeared to detest him.

"Go ahead and do that." Sasha answers.

"I need to talk to someone, and you're not willing to listen." Michonne gives up, and she decides to control her frustration.

"Another crap about Philip, that isn't a conversation because you don't listen. Scandal after scandal, what is there to..." The woman on the other side of the phone suddenly becomes passionate, but Michonne interrupts.

"Not tonight, please just tell him to call me when you see him." Michonne finishes with a hopeless sigh.

"I won't. It is your boyfriend, you should expect a call." Sasha continues with her frankness, and she wishes Michonne a goodnight

…

…

…

…

Hours later, Philip has not returned her calls. She has not to sleep the entire night. A succession of dreams kept her awake. Her mind refuses to allow the mystery to remain unsolved. Why does he hate her? She has to explore a past life in search of an answer. Her attempts to find a reason for his hatred are futile, but she appears to be unable to stop. It is painful to explore her time of innocence while searching for a reason to justify Rick's hatred.

Facing the ceiling of her room, Michonne fails to recover her usual peace of mind. The young woman turns on her side to face the clock on her nightstand, and it is 5 a.m.

Behind the thick black curtains, the sun must have risen, but her room continues to bask in darkness. It is her first night back to king county, and she already goes through an emotional turmoil. She hates this uneventful small town.

The heat in her room becomes unbearable, and she decides to step onto the balcony for some fresh air. It may help with her loud thoughts. The young woman walks out of her room, and to her surprise, the sky is dark. The outside air is humid, and she suffocates under the assault of the thick Georgian's heat. The sweat piles on her hairline and upper lip, Michonne wipes it. The young woman regrets her last cigarette. For the past five hours, she has lived in constant stress.

She watches at her phone, and there is no calls or messages. It is typical of Philip, and it is strange that she continues to expect a change in character. However, she is the one, who has changed over the years with him. The young woman started to pick some of his bad habits, and it may cost Michonne her career. From America sweetheart to the headlines of gossip outlets. When she made her tenth cover for another drunken night, Michonne ceased to count the scandals. When she drinks, many of her demons resurface.

In the last two years, her alcohol consumption has increased. Philip has coerced her to go to every Hollywood party, and so he can build his network. Michonne has yet to see the result of his networking. During those parties, what she sees is her boyfriend heavily flirting with any moving skirt. He claims that she is insecure, and she started to believe him. Michonne never had the time to correct her youth insecurities, and living under the world scrutiny worsens those insecurities.

The young woman sighs, and she continues to stare at her phone. Eventually, he will remember that she exists. The neglect is the reason why she drinks at those parties, and the need for attention is the reason why she allows Philip to convince her to do stupid things. Now, her career is at risk, and she has to survive this family reunion. Michonne takes a deep breath, and she silences her thoughts. When she starts to be introspective about Philip, the young woman always censures her mind. They are truths, which Michonne refuses to face. Hollywood is a lonely place, and the loneliness scares her.

…

…

…

…

Afraid to explore the topic of her love life, Michonne's mind retreats to thoughts of Rick Grimes. Her anger returns with a vengeance, and she marches to his room. Once she stands in front of his door, she questions her motives. Misfortune follows her, and her hands start to hammer his door against her better judgement.

When he opens the door half-asleep and dishevelled curly hair covers half of his visage, Michonne's first intake of air is painful. In truth, her fury left her unprepared for what she intended to do.

Rick leans on the side of his doorframe, and he attempts to wake up. For a minute, they silently face the other. Michonne forgets the long monologue, and Rick doesn't recognize the woman, who stands at his door. Ultimately, he recognizes Michonne and groans.

"Can I escape you?" He sighs with frustration, and he starts to push his door forward.

His action and the disdain in voice are enough to snap Michonne out of her reverie. Confidently, the young woman blocks the door, which he attempts to close, and she steps into his room. Inside the lion's den, she feels as if Rick is about to chew her alive. His jaws are tense, and he pinches the bridge of his nose. The young man defiantly crosses his arm, and he silently stares at her. It is easy to drown in the agitated ocean, which inhabits Rick's eyes, and when Michonne looks up, his irises imprisoned her.

The young woman squirms under Rick's intense stares. Why is she exploring the memory lane? Why does she feel as if she was thirteen years old yesterday? Why does she remember Rick's warm smiles, who rarely directed to her, but she was by Maggie's side? Michonne shakes her head, and she attempts to rid her mind of an old and dead fondness for Rick Grimes.

"Whatever I have done to you, you deserve it." She blurs out with frustrations, and she feels lighter after the counterproductive statement.

Will she be able to sleep now that she has returned his rudeness? Michonne attempts to walk out of Rick's room, but he stops her with a hold on her elbow. Furious, he presses her against the door, and Michonne's weight closes the door. She glances at the man, who towers above her. It was a mistake to walk inside his room.

Through his fury, Rick forgets that he hates being in her nearness. Now, he closes the distance between their bodies. There are very little clothes between the pair, and his bare skin meets her bare flesh. Rick wears pyjama pants and nothing else. Michonne wears a lace bodysuit. In her moment of bravery, the young woman forgot her negligee in her room. When she attempts to pull her as a shielding layer, she remembers the absence of it. Rick looms over her, and she has to stop him. Michonne presses her hand to his chiselled abdomen to keep him away.

The warmth of her skin on his abdomen appears to steer his thoughts away from his anger, and Rick looks down to her hands. For a second, his strange interest for Michonne unexpectedly soars, and he pries her hands away from his skin. Rick takes two steps back, but he cannot bring himself to leave the comfortable warmth, which her body appears to possess. Accordingly, the young man stands close enough to feel her warmth, but far enough not to sense the peculiar effect it has on him.

"I had a plan, and I would take over my grandfather. I went to a prestigious university for it, and my life was perfectly aligning itself until you came along." He hisses, and his fury echoes through every word.

However, Rick is also furious with himself. He cannot prevent the glances at Michonne's toned legs, which he steals. Fortunately, his anger and resentment overpower his primal instincts. Only primal and basic instincts can force his mind to take in every detail of her body. Rick takes a deep breath, but he has no reason to be breathless. Two steps back are not enough, and so he decides not to face her.

Although, Michonne grows tired of his antics, and she grabs his arm to force him to turn and face her. She will not let him ignore her, and she may project part of her frustration with Philip ignoring her onto Rick. Defiantly, she crosses her and leans on the door. The young woman's attitude quells Rick's unexpected interest, and the young man hatred for Michonne return with vigour.

"On Christmas, I was in the streets with a bag on my back. I lost my family because you couldn't keep your mouth shut." It is strange how the words are whispers, and Michonne will prefer shouts.

"I didn't throw you out of the house, and I never…" She attempts to explain herself, but an unexpected sob swallows the rest of her word.

The look in his eyes becomes enough to push her from the edge. The emotions of the day pile up on her mind. From Richard's senior health to the hatred, which she discovered Rick held, and it is overwhelming. Michonne is angry, but she lacks the proper words to express her anger. Frustration has morphed into tears, and the lack of sleep has allowed her tears to turn into sobs. She needs a cigarette, and she needs to stay away from Rick Grimes.

"Those are pretty tears, but it doesn't matter. Whatever I will do to you, you will deserve it too." He says while his hands frame Michonne's face, and he wipes her tears with his thumbs.

Rick accomplishes the second act against his will, and he does not understand why he wipes her tears. His words contradict the softness and tenderness of his thumbs against her cheek. However, Michonne does not care much for his actions, but his words ring loud in the recess of her mind. The young woman slaps Rick's hands away from her face, and her thumbs replace his. It feels different, and it angers her that she notices the difference between his touch and hers.

Michonne draws a deep breath and wills the tears away. She glances back at Rick and opens the door. She needs to escape this man. Why does she feel like a helpless teenager in his presence? Is she unable to reciprocate the hatred that he gives? Slowly, she steps out of the room and refuses to peers above her shoulder. The starlet refuses to endure his hatred, but she cannot control her interest. She turns to face him, and words are on the tip of her tongue. An apology for what she does not remember doing to him sits on her tongue. When he speaks, Michonne is on the verge to say it.

"You may no longer have a perfect life to destroy, but there is still something to destroy. Stay away from me, Miss Hollywood." He warns her, and she closes the door on everything, which concerns Rick Grimes.

* * *

Rick does not feel comfortable inside the Grimes' ranch. At every sound, he jumps and worries about who he will have to face. He hates to hear the laughs, which resonate in the other rooms of the house. How can joy continue to exist in this place? Memories of the past continue to haunt him, and his guilt refuses to relinquish its hold on his mind. As for now, Rick hides inside the kitchen, but he will have to face the visages, which awaken his demon.

The young man hears steps coming, and he tenses. After his early altercation with Michonne, he doesn't want to face the svelte woman. However, Rick must avoid two other people in the house. Why did he return to this hell? How could his grandfather think about such a horrid thing? He hates Michonne with a passion, which rivals the heat of a burning sun. It does not matter that the soft brown of her eyes has not left his mind. Hatred can be obsessive.

Rick remembers almost nothing from the Christmas Eve, but the brown of her eyes is an engraved memory. During the fatidical night, he held on her eyes like a lifeline, and in the morning, the brown of her eyes took a new meaning. The door opens, and Rick has to step away from his mind. The young man recognizes the perfume, which fills the air. Escape his demons in a crowded place is hard. Rick hopes the young woman will have the decency to ignore him, and so he hides his face behind his cup of coffee.

The fates are not on his side, and something continues to be the same. She places her hand on his shoulder, and Rick's reaction is visceral. He grabs her hand and throws it away from him. He hates this place and the stories, which ooze from the silent walls. He hates this woman and the history, which links her to him.

"Never touch me again, Jessica." He warns her with a tone, which promises chaos if she disobeys his order.

Rick expects her to leave the room, but he hears the sound of the chair, which she pulls by his side. The young man does not turn to face her, and he does not allow his mind to explore the past. He drinks more of his coffee. When the hot liquid burns his tongue and throat, he does not care. The young man refuses to face Jessie's visage, and he refuses to investigate blurry memories. The memories, which are clear, continue to bring more pain to him.

"It shouldn't be like this…" His stepmother attempts to clear the air, but the hesitation in her tone echoes against every wall of the room.

Rick cannot understand the woman's audacity. He questions how she expects the interaction between two exes to go when one became the other stepmother. There is so much more to their past. He refuses to brush the memories of the Christmas Eve, but he remembers very little from that night. It is blurry, and the alcohol may have been the reason why he does not remember everything. However, he remembers the glistening brown eyes, and he held on those brown eyes like a lifeline.

"Everyone in this house is full of crap." A bitter laugh follows his statement, and he continues to avoid her face.

The pain disappeared ten years ago, and vicious anger replaced it. He recovered from Jessie's betrayal, and he accepted his defeat when his father came home with a new fiancé. How strange, the fiancé was his girlfriend. However, Rick swallowed his resentment and smiled when his father gushed about Jessie. He was over the pain after a few months, and Christmas Eve happened. From that night, he discovered a new sort of pain.

"We were friends and we…" Audaciously, she dares to suggest, but when she covers his hand with hers, she commits a bigger offence.

Rick loses his control, and his brusque movement causes the fall of his coffee cup. The hot liquid pours and infiltrates the thread of the white tablecloth. The couple in the room does not care much for the damaged tablecloth while the tension between them thickens.

"We were nothing to each other, and don't you dare talk to me." Rick hisses, and he attempts to leave the room.

Jessie grabs his arm, and she ignores his previous demand. Rick stares at the alabaster hand on his skin, and he slaps it away. He forgets about his previous decision to avoid conflicts, and so he lashes out. With steam, words pour out of his mouth, but the blonde woman catches every word. Each word crushes Jessie's spirit. Ten years passed, and he continues to affect her. Ten years, her love for Rick has not subdued.

"You fucking won...You wanted the money, and my father has plenty of it. Y'all are a happy family. Congratulation on the children, they look exactly like you and nothing like him. Enjoy your money and fucking choke on it." The venom, which coats his words, does not burn his tongue.

However, it does poison Jessie's mind. From sheer memories, he remembers her to be a frail and fragile woman. Consequently, Rick does not escape her tears, but he could care less for her pain. He does not feel the desire to wipe her tears, and so he watches as hot tears drench the woman's pale face. Through his statement, he has made some accusations, but a day in a small town is enough to hear the rumour.

"It was never like that." She denies his accusation, but her denial lacks vigour and sounds hollow.

Denying the truth is hard. At the sight of Rick Grimes, Jessie cannot prevent the reaction of her heart. In truth, she married his father because it was an assurance on the Grimes fortune. However, her love for Rick refuses to die, and she refused to allow it to do so. He was the best lover she had. Ten years ago, she attempted to make him understand. Everything went to hell in that Christmas Eve, and she lost him for ten years. Now, Jessie faces the man, who she was unable to forget, and he dashes her hopes.

"I guess it was like that." Rick counters and he walks to the door without a glance for a sobbing Jessie.

New sounds of steps echo closer to the kitchen. Instinctively, they both school their expression. Quickly, she wipes her tears, but the redness of her scleras betrays the truth. The poured coffee will raise questions, and so she takes a wipe and starts to dab it on the dark liquid.

"Richard?" The tone is full of disdain.

Rick stands straighter while he faces his father.

"Carlton, I was leaving anyway." He answers with equal disdain.

Rick's father stares at his wife, and the questions harden his look. Jessie takes a minute to collect herself, and she waits for the tremor in her voice to decrease. He discovered his wife and son's past during a heated moment, and the consequences continue to complicate his life. Carlton forgave her, but his relationship with his son was never the same.

"I hoped he was over it...Me and his unrequited love." She boldly lies while she walks to her husband and closes her arms around his waist.

* * *

Rick's room appears to be the best place to hide from the world. With a lock on his door, the young man can escape the intrusion of his family. Few more days, he will be able to leave with a peaceful conscience. Rick will survive this family's reunion, and he will return to his world.

He hates this town, and more than anything, he hates this ranch. Rick grabs his computer and his phone. His work may help to cleanse his mind. He wants to silence his thoughts and to forget the day's altercation. To be specific, he wants to forget about his altercation with Michonne. Although, his exchange with Jessie was more virulent.

However, Michonne Jones besieges his mind. Hatred must be an obsession. Rick does hate Jessie, but she does not haunt him. Frustrated by the same thought for an hour, Rick closes his laptop.

For a long time, he stares at his childhood room, and he makes his decision. His sanity is a priority, and in this house, the chances to lose it are high. The young man walks to his closet and picks the bag, which he brought for the weekend. Rick starts to pack, but a knock at his door interrupts him.

"Rick, can I come in?" Morgan asks from the other side of the door.

The young man silently curses, and he shoves his bag below his bed. Rick has not prepared for a conversation with his grandfather, and he does not know how many lectures he can endure tonight.

"Obviously grandfather Morgan." He replies with a voice, which carries his anguish.

"Are you feeling better?" Morgan asks while he joins Rick and takes a seat on his bed.

"Can we not?" Rick refuses to have this conversation.

He knows how his Grandfathers and he assumes that Richard senior may attempt to have a conversation with Michonne as they speak. Due to their similarities, Rick and his grandfather can hardly avoid an argument if their opinions differ, and so Morgan always intervenes. The older man can compromise with Rick. Morgan's patience manages to convince Rick to be cooperative in most situation. However, Rick will not fall for the old tricks.

"Can we not do what?" Morgan does not lose his calm, and it is the reason why he stands here instead of Richard senior.

"Beat around the bush, you always speak your mind, grandpa." His tone is borderline abrasive.

"You don't want to listen, and so I'm trying to let you find a point, where you want to be an adult. I don't like shouting contexts like Richard and you." Morgan refuses to allow Rick to derail the conversation.

He knows the young man, and argumentation is Rick's defence mechanism. If the conversation is reasonable, Morgan can reach the young Grimes. Consequently, the old man takes a deep breath every time Rick attempts to start an argument.

"There is nothing to talk about. I won't change my mind about marrying her." Confidently, he says, and he refuses to say Michonne's name.

Morgan continues to be unfazed by Rick's statement. The Grimes men are stubborn, but it never stopped him before.

"Nothing changed, and you continue to be too stubborn to hear anyone. However, I have dealt with your grandfather my entire life, and he will not give up too." Morgan counters the young man's statement.

He arranges his posture to find some comfort, and it shows his dedication to having a conversation with Rick.

…

…

…

…

"Richard and I have known each other so long that I don't remember when we started being friends. It is hard to know that Soon, he will leave this world, and I feel guilty. I feel so guilty to survive him, and maybe it is why I let him get away with murder. I have been harder on him than anyone else has. When he told me his crazy idea to marry you and Michonne, I said no. It was another of Richard's eccentricity." Morgan overlooks Rick's antics, and he starts to explain the reason behind their decisions to request a marriage between their grandchildren.

"Grandpa Morgan, it isn't happening." Rick stops Morgan before he can deepen his explanations.

Michonne occupies his mind, and he does not want to spend an hour talking about her. Now, he wants to leave this cursed place before every secret comes to light. He wants to return to New York, and he needs to stay away from the people, which bring the worst out of him.

"Well, I'm a sceptical too, but your grandfather has a way to present his argument. He sells them to you until they become your dreams." Rick's words do not stop Morgan, and so he decides to continue with his tales.

"Richard has three babies, and he doesn't want the world to destroy them. He has failed Michonne and you, or so he thinks. Ten years later, he continues to question what happened to you. There is no day when he does not question what Carlton did to you, but we know his wicked wife is partly responsible. He failed you, and he doesn't want to take that guilt with him." Morgan's voice becomes softer, and Rick remembers why he could easily sway his conviction.

"Marrying me with her will not help anything." Rick refuses to accept his grandfather eccentric decision.

If they knew Michonne caused what happened during Christmas morning, their tune will be different. Many others deserve the blame. Despite knowing as much, Rick cannot tell why he feels so betrayed by Michonne. His attachment to her eyes is the reason why. How he held on to her the night prior may be the reason.

"You don't want to listen," Morgan tells him.

For the first time, he displays an ounce of frustration.

"I'm listening, but you said nothing worth my time." He counters

" Is it how they teach you to speak to your elder up north?" Morgan glares at Rick, and the young man knows to humble himself.

"I'm sorry, grandpa." He corrects his posture and retrieves his southern manners.

"I was saying it haunts your grandfather. He complains about your isolation, and he wants you to have no family. You cut every link with us, and you have no roots. However, you aren't Richard's seldom source of worries. I would not have let Michonne pursue her Hollywood carrier, and I was right. There are newspapers in King County, and Michonne is the only famous person from this town. We know about the scandals, and he feels guilty because he convinced me to let her go. When she returns home, she appears to be less of the woman, who left this place. Richard said we started to lose her after the Christmas when you left." Morgan continues where he stopped before Rick's attempt to rudeness.

"You're gone, and she is on her way. You're both his babies. She has no roots and nothing to ground her to this world. You have no family. He doesn't want to go until his babies are safe, and he believes you're the safest with each other. Do I believe him to be right? In a lifetime, he has never been wrong. She is slowly falling into a spiral, and I cannot do more than everything, which previously failed. It is much to ask, but I remember the days when you watched over her. Michonne was safest in your hands. Richard wants to ensure that there is someone watching over you and her." Morgan glances at Rick to watch the impact of his words, but the young man is impassive.

"When it comes to his third baby, Carlton has failed once. You know how we feel about Jessica. We worked our entire youth to build Grimes and Jones. You don't understand how hard it was for a farmer son and a black man to find success. Do you want the work of your grandfather to go into the hand of a gold digger and her puppet? We want our three babies safe, and it will be wise to give it a thought." He finishes explaining his best friend's motivations.

"If you knew Michonne and I's history, you wouldn't trust me with her nor would you want to submit me to such torture. What you have in mind is a past, which no longer exists. I used to rescue her from school bullies because she was Maggie's best friend and your granddaughter. I wasn't her protector, and if the people that I love didn't love her, I wouldn't care…" A knock on his door interrupts his statement.

It is fortunate because he cannot proceed to make a more hurtful statement about Michonne. The subject of the conversation stands at his door, and the expression on her visage stops the beating of his heart. He does not know why he is so reactive to her pain, and he was always too reactive to her pain. It is the reason why he jumped between bullies and her. Now, he hates her. Strangely, his heart continues to stop a second to acknowledge her pain, but his mind refuses to care for it.

"Baby, what is wrong?" Morgan questions when he faces a crying Michonne.

The young woman looks beyond her grandfather, and she apologetically stares at Rick. He remembers those glistening brown eyes, and it never announces anything good. For a second, he stares back at her, and he remembers why her eyes were his lifeline during that Christmas Eve. The brown in those round eyes can be so soft and warm, and it is almost a source of comfort. Their silent conversation is loud enough for Morgan to catch glimpse of it. Morgan squeezes Rick's shoulder, and he draws a deep breath.

"The ambulance is on its way, Grandpa Richard…" Michonne does not finish her statement because she must follow her grandfather and Rick.

Both men have dashed out of the room to run by Richard senior's side.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank for the review and follows.**

 **Slightly dark chapter, but I said angst so. Warning applies.**

 **Please, review.**

* * *

 **Chapter II: Christmas Eve 10 years ago**

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"Are you okay, Rick?" She places her hand on his shoulder, and it suffices to draw the young man out of his mind.

A glance at Rick destabilizes Michonne, and she is not sure of the answer to her question. Rick looks dishevelled and confused. His eyes aghast seem unable to stay on a fixed point. She scoots closer to him, and she can have a better look at him. The adolescent breath hitches and she attempts to steal subtle breaths around his scent. Michonne's skin grazes Rick's one, and his flesh is burning. Rick is in a feverish state.

Her eyes run over his body, and a subtle blush darkens Michonne's complexion. Consequently, she averts her look from his body. Michonne clears her throat and frees her mind of the magical haze, which clogs her thoughts in Rick's presence. She draws a deep breath. With her thumb and forefinger on his chin, she lifts his visage to face it under a better light.

Is he okay? With his dry throat and heavy eyes, Rick does not know the answer to Michonne's question. He stops to breathe, and the young man's eyes catch a sight of Michonne's worried expression. Rick does not stare for long, and he never looks at her too long. Through the years, he has become painful to stare straight into her eyes. He tries not to encourage her crush nor tempt himself with a pretty teenager. There is enough scandalous relationship in his family. The thought surprises him. Sometimes, Rick digs in those strange thoughts. Michonne is not quite a woman, and he should not think more of her infantile crush when he flourishes in his manhood.

Rick stares at the glass in his hand, and he wonders how much alcohol it contains. The buzz in his head is deafening, and his body starts to plunge into a growing trance. Once again, he drifts out of the conversation and stares at the light on the ceiling. The young man holds his third or fourth tumbler of scotch, and the liquor is stronger than he thought. Rick draws a heavy breath and forgets Michonne's question.

"Rick?" The voice is insistent, and Michonne's hand shakes his body out of his stupor.

Rick looks down to face Michonne, and the distance between their bodies is almost non-existent. He is always hyper-aware of Michonne, and Rick normally stays away from Michonne for that reason. Tonight, his inhibitions are not strong. Accordingly, he invades Michonne's personal space. Michonne escapes Rick's encouraging warmth with a distancing step. He watches as her chest rise due to her sudden intake of breath, and the adolescent's teeth lock on her lower lip.

"Hmmm," Rick answers her call in an uncommitted manner while he tries to reconcile her voice with the unadulterated emotions, which he feels.

He is familiar to the honey in the undertones of her voice, but she sounds concerned. Michonne's voice quivers and she intensely stares at Rick. Their proximity makes her uncomfortable, and many fantasies flood her mind. Rick leans back, and he almost loses his equilibrium. She grabs his forearm and keeps him from falling. Rick's head spins in every direction, and he cannot focus on anything. However, the pressure of her fingers on his forearm grounds him.

For the second time, he stares at the scotch in his hand. Rick's sudden weakness is unexplainable. Four glasses and he barely stand on his exhausted legs. Rick is not a light drinker, and the circumstances do not explain his state of ebriety. If he were a weak drinker, Rick would not have survived college nor his best friend, Shane. The emotional distress must render him susceptible to the alcohol.

Tonight, Rick's father announced his engagement with Rick's ex-girlfriend, Jessie. The party's atmosphere changed after that fatidical moment. He cannot explain how it happened or how the pair of lovers met. Rick was waiting for their three months anniversary to introduce Jessie to his family, but three weeks ago, his father introduced him to his girlfriend. There was no point to expose the young woman, and Rick doubts Carlton will trust his words.

Now, Rick must spend Christmas Eve with the couple while he avoids his soon-to-be stepmother. Rick does not understand why Jessie is so adamant to interact with him tonight, and he is tired of leaving each of the rooms, where she follows him. From her multiple attempts to converse with him to the strange moment when he had to drink the glass of wine, which she thrust in his hand, Rick has lost his patience in the process. He had scotch and wine, but Rick usually handles his liquor. Tonight, the situation is different.

"Rick?" He again focuses on the velvety voice, and the young man tries to put a face on Michonne's highlighted frame.

Michonne stands below the chandelier, and the bright lights hide her face. Her hair has grown, and the lock, which she used to they used to mock her for, turned into an elegant crown. The thought is a constant flutter in time, but Rick finds Michonne beautiful. With the need to explore his discovery of the beauty, which she has grown in to, Rick drags Michonne's body closer to him until their noses touch. She steps on his toes because he pulled her too close. Aghast brown eyes stare at him, and it suffices to stir Rick's drowsy memory.

"Michonne?" He says with a tone, which lacks its usual annoyance.

Rick loses his hand in her hair and destroys the intricate up do, which Michonne wore for the party. Dreadlock spills in his palm, and Rick looks at her in a drunk awe.

"Your locks are very pretty. Did I get it right this time?" He asks with genuine tone, which disarms Michonne and sends her heart into a racing gallop.

….

….

…

…

Michonne does not know how to react to his compliment, and she timidly tries to move out of his grip. The crimson is perfectly hidden by her dark complexion, and she blushes while she wills her heart to stillness. When his knuckles graze her cheek, Michonne's heart threatens to leap out her rib cage. Since she was thirteen years old, the adolescent has not been in such nearness of Rick. Although she does her best to gravitate in his orbit, Rick never permitted such physical closeness.

Michonne looks up to him, and she waits for him to restore the mandatory distance between their bodies. However, Rick does nothing of the sort, and his hands brush Michonne's bare arm. He keeps her in his embrace and presses their bodies together. She cannot breathe because it means breathing him. Consequently, she withholds her breaths until her lungs burn with a need for life.

Minutes later, Rick continues to hold her, and he absent-mindedly stares into her eyes. Michonne does not know how to react, and so she freezes in Rick's arm. There is a warmth to his touch, and his hand chooses to explore the small of her back. The situation is strange, and he is acting out of character. Michonne opens her mouth to question is well-being again, but the words never leave her lips. Her tongue wetting her lips is enough incentive for Rick.

Rick's lips cover Michonne's one, and her already burning lungs combusts. The world freezes around the teenager, and it spins out of reachable orbits. When his warm lips suck her bottom one, Michonne gasps with shock, and the opening suffices to offer Rick the liberty to push his tongue into her mouth. The tongue intrusion is surprisingly lazy though his hold on her waist is bruising. Much like their relationship, there is a duality.

Michonne's skin tingles and her heart accelerates. She helplessly holds on his shirt, and her nails dig in Rick's shoulder. The teenager does not know how to proceed, and the gravity of her world disappears. She floats above clouds after the caress of his tongue. The kiss is Michonne's first one, and she has dreamed of the moment many times. Rick is her charming prince, and the pressure of his finger digging into her small back helps ground her to reality. When she finally gets a hold of the lips motion, his tongue ceases to caress her, and he unlocks their lips.

"Mistletoes." He points up with an aloof grin, and Michonne knows something is amiss with Rick.

She attempts to drag him toward the couch, but she cannot handle his weight. His hand, which he wrapped around her shoulder, drags Michonne down. Although, she miraculously succeeds in her task. Michonne pushes him in the couch, and she crouches to take a good look at him. There is a bed of sweat on his forehead, and the dark of his pupils has swallowed the blue of his iris. She presses her hands to his face, and she only keeps his attention with her touch.

"Are you on drugs?" She questions and his rebuttal comes as slurry words, which confirm her accusation.

"I don't feel well." Rick groans when his eyes become heavy, and fog falls on his mind.

The drink, which he holds, slips from his hand. However, he can bring himself to care. Once again, Michonne shakes him out of his stupor. The drowsiness is intense, and his muscle weights so much on his skeleton.

"I can see that. I'm going to get help. Don't move, Rick." When he fails to rise from the couch, Michonne tells him.

"I don't feel well." He repeats when the world starts to blur, and he attempts to lay down to obey his desire to sleep.

"I will be back, and don't move, please." Michonne leaves Rick, as he lies on the couch.

* * *

"Here, you're." He can barely recognize the voice, and the couch sinks when the person sits down.

Blonde hair covers his face, and the smell of lavender replaces Michonne's coconut one. When he feels the weight of another body on him, Rick opens his eyes. He meets jolly blue eyes, and there is alcoholic glee in the air. Unhappy with the sight, Rick attempts to move away, but his body is almost unresponsive.

"I'm sorry." She peppers his visage with butterfly kisses, and Rick wants to escape her tight embrace.

However, Rick cannot do anything with flaccid muscles. Through his blurry vision, the young man tries to extract an identity for the person, who joined him. His mind ceases to be functional, and Rick groans with frustration.

"You were not supposed to learn it this way. Your father did not tell me before, or we could have prepared for this." At the mention of his father, Rick knows who his by his side.

"Jessie?" He questions with a slurry speech and a strong confusion in his voice.

Rick wants to leave the room because he is tired of her stalkerish ways. Since Carlton revealed their relationship, Jessie has grown quite obsessed with the man's son. Her attempts to gain Rick's forgiveness were inconclusive, and she is increasingly desperate. Through his exhaustion and drowsiness, Rick succeeds to leave the couch, but Jessie holds on his arm. Any other day, He will be able to shove her, but he feels so weak and drunk.

"baby, please give me a chance to explain." She begs him while she keeps him immobile with an iron grip. "I will fix everything after this." Jessie rises and presses her lips onto the lips of a semi-conscious Rick.

"You will understand that we're so good for each other after this." She drags him out of the room.

"I don't feel well," Rick complains as the motion worsens his states.

"It is going to be okay, babe." She presses another kiss on his lips, and Rick stares in confusion.

* * *

When Michonne returns to the last spot where she saw him, Rick has disappeared. She holds a bottle of water in her hand because she could not find the help, which she went to seek. Her concern for Rick's wellbeing overwhelms the adolescent, and she starts to look for him. Carlton will hate if Rick destroyed his perfect night. Everyone knows that father and son have a difficult relationship, which spans from jealousy in regards to Richard's senior possible succession.

From corridors to corridors, Michonne explores the ranch with a beating heart. The adolescent has never seen Rick in such a poor state, and she does not want him to heart himself. From rooms to rooms, it feels as if Rick vanished from the house. Concern and exhaustion make Michonne reconsider her quest. She knows how Rick feels about her proximity. He sees her as a clingy brat, though she is eighteen.

Michonne ultimately finds Rick, and she regrets the discovery. The room is dark with the exception of a small yellow light, which grazes his skin.

Michonne's fingers lock around the plastic bottle until she can no longer hold it. In their eagerness, they must have poorly closed the door. The light caresses his shoulder and brightens the blue of his eyes. A sheer coat of sweat cover his bare arm, and blonde hair fills Michonne's vision. The girl gasps while emotions force the constriction of her throat. Her heart beats with a saccade rhythm, and fury floods her artery.

Michonne does not need a complete view of what is happening. The door partially obstructs her view, but she is far from being deaf. Her moans echo on the wall surrounding them, and Michonne's sobs are silent. Michonne's eyes meet Rick's one, and he holds her angry look. Furious brown swallows dull blue, but Rick focuses on Michonne's blurry silhouette.

Although, his look contains an emptiness, which Michonne's jealousy forces her to overlook. Unable to move, she stares at Rick, and he holds on her eyes while the world fades to black around him. Morbidly, his eyes keep her glued by the door and Michonne is silent for a few minutes. The moans on the other side are louder, and Michonne cannot stand it. Bile rises and tears flood her burning scleras. Angry, she storms away after catching a sight of his tryst's partner.

Michonne wipes her mouth as if it could erase her first kiss. For the first time, she questions her love for Rick Grimes. He always treated her as a leprosy patient and quarantined her away from his life. After the kiss, her immature heart thought of a better future, but he will rather have sex with his father's girlfriend. Michonne's hero falls from his pedestal, and she seeks comfort where she can find it.

Accordingly, Michonne shares what she saw with no thoughts for the consequence. There is the need to vent her frustration, and Maggie listens and consoles her. The veracity of her words never questioned by her friend. Michonne will never lie about Rick. Her devotion for him never knew any limit until tonight. She falls asleep on Maggie's bed while tears drench her face.

…

…

…..

….

The morning is a horror scene, and Michonne prepares for a confrontation with Rick. However, chaos has already erupted. The boudoir door is closed, and Maggie anxiously stares at it. Michonne joins the brunette, who appears to be in pain. Maggie stares at the door, and her guilty expression scares Michonne.

"What is going on?" Michonne asks her best friend and the only person who knows that she saw Rick have sex with his father's girlfriend.

Michonne sits by the brunette's side, and they stare at the closed door in a heavy silence. Maggie bites her nails, and hesitation holds her voice. The shouts from the closed room fill the corridor, where the adolescents sit. Michonne glares at Maggie, who eventually feels compelled to speak. Her moral would always be her downfall, and she is the worse person to tell heavy secrets.

"Uncle Carlton and Rick are..." Maggie does not finish her sentence.

The door opens, and three silhouettes are immobile. Jessie is in tears, and Rick has a redden skin. Fury oozes from every inch of his skin, and Michonne looks at him from the corner of her eyes. After last night, she can't stand his sight.

Exhaustion overtakes Rick until he sees her. The same brown eyes are on him, and he remembers those eyes. She must have spoken, but what could she said. The young man has no idea how he ended up in bed with his ex-girlfriend. Blurry night and alcohol, he has tried to explain. Rick mentioned their past relationship, and Jessie called it a fling. She reduced two months of intense romance to an awkward night, which lead to Rick's obsession. She claims that he blackmailed her, and Jessie feared to lose Carlton.

A need to have someone chose him over Richard junior blinds Carlton. Carlton chose to disregard his son's words. Jessie's tears won over Rick's truth. Tired of tears and shouts, Rick stands at the door, and he stares at Michonne. She squirms, and he assumes that it is under the weight of guilt.

"Is it what you really want?" Rick asks his father, but he stares at Michonne.

"When you are so obsessed with my fiancé and spit those lies, I don't want you around her, me, or in my house." Carlton does not flinch as he reiterates his request.

Rick does not say more, and he walks away without reminding his father that the house belongs to Richard senior. Chances are the ranch will later be Rick's one, and maybe it is the reason behind Carlton's reluctance to give a chance to his son.

...

...

...

...

Michonne can't prevent the motion of her body. She runs after Rick, and the adolescent finds him in his room. Bags opened, he pulls clothes from his closet and throws them into the bags. The young woman stands at the door, and she has not forgotten her anger. However, Rick seems lost, and she knows that Carlton must have punished him for last night. Jessie must have confessed after noticing Michonne's presence or so the adolescent believes.

"Rick?" Michonne calls with the same velvet, which he comes to associate with the smoothness of her voice.

He freezes and turns to face her. His glare makes her step back, but it is too late to retreat. Rick drags her into his room, and the door closes. In a second, he presses her body into the wall. Michonne winces when she makes contact with the hardened surface.

"Was it a revenge because I chose to ignore your little crush? Was it a revenge because I chose to be a responsible adult and ignore your yearning look? Will you have been satisfied if I fucked you?" Frustrated his let go of Michonne.

The girl blinks, and she fails to understand his fury. Accordingly, she does not claim her innocence. Rick has a temper, and it may be a moment of misdirected anger. Michonne swallows down, and she wants to back down. However, Rick does not allow her to break eye contact, and she stays glued to her spot.

"What are you talking about?" Michonne questions, and once again he shoves her into the wall.

Her loose bun opens, and locks recover her face before Rick can see her pained expression. He oppresses her with his intimidating weight, and in his anger, he forgets how easily he hovers over her. He does not need his height to intimidate her, but her brown warm eyes seem to appease him to fast.

"Congratulation, you win. You destroyed my life for a little tantrum and rejection." Rick walks away from her, and he grabs his bag to leave.

Michonne does not understand, and she stupidly questions him. The fire of anger continues to render Rick's unstable. She walks back and falls on his bed when he quickly closes the distance between them.

"My father threw me out because of what you said. You could not just keep it to yourself. It was not supposed to happen, and I don't know how it did. I don't remember, but everyone words over mine right." Rick shouts at Michonne, and she feels so small.

"Where are you going?" Under shock, her mind picks the matter to focus on.

Rick ignores her and grabs her arm to drag her closer to him. His nose brushes hers, and much like last night, his warm engulfs her. Although, his eyes no longer carries the same emotions. He looks up and down.

"One day, I will ruin your life like you ruined mine. You should have kept your mouth shut." He hisses and keeps her in that strange intimidating embrace.

Michonne does not know what to say, and so she stares at Rick until he lets go of her. She watches him leave his room, and the young woman does not know what to do.

"where is Richard?" half an hour later, Richard senior's voice draws her out of her stupor.

"Gone..." She answers after another stare at the door.

 **I know a short chapter, but it was emotionally oppressive.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the review and your patience for this update. The next one won't take this much time because it is half of this chapter, which i got tired of editing and my eyes started to react to the lights. It should be up in few hours or days. cross fingers and pray for positive reactions .**

 **I don't own the walking dead**

 **Please, review**

* * *

 **Chapter III: Palliative**

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They stare at each other for a long time, and Michonne abruptly avoids Rick's gaze. She steps closer to Morgan, and she takes a deep breath. Rick's eyes are too profound, and they are a violent sea of uncontained emotions. Every emotion, which Michonne can't understand, but his emotional turmoil continues to bind her. Michonne's fingers intertwine with Morgan's ones, and she calms her palpitating heart. With tear-stained eyes, Michonne stares at the letter printed in bold red, ambulance. The moment appears to be surrealist. Richard senior is lifted into the ambulance, and all eyes are on his unconscious body.

The house is silent, and the atmosphere is heavy. The entire family stands on the ranch's porch in pyjama, and they stare at the ambulance. Many breaths are drawn but poorly taken. Everyone appears unable to breathe correctly. They stand outside, and the night is warm to the point of suffocation. Although, cold sweats cover everyone's forehead, and they experience cold and chills. No one dares to speak, and for a moment, worry consumes every mind. The moment feels chaotic, and the blue and red of the ambulance siren illuminates the night and the saddened expression on everyone's face.

"I will go with him, and you can come with me, Richard." Morgan finally takes charge during the moment of chaos, and his voice brings everyone out of the stupor.

They start to move, and life retrieves its right even in a tragedy. Rick moves toward Morgan, but Carlton stops him with an angry look. For a second Rick has forgotten the state of their relationship, and he can't return the disdainful look. Rick expects his father to display sensibility, but it is a naivety, which he quickly regrets. Richard senior does not hold the same place in everyone's heart.

"He is my father," Carlton says while he shoves Rick away from the ambulance.

Rick raises his hands in surrender, and he walks away with a last glance ate filled with anger. Michonne does not miss the look, and she focuses on Rick, which refuses to display any other emotion toward his father. There is something strange about his anger, and it almost makes his fury with her look like repressed passion. The timing is imperfect for petty anger or argument, and Rick grasps such facts. He can't let himself slip down that path, and sadly, he wants to do it. Rick draws a deep breath, and he quiets the raging tempest of emotions, which shakes his being. Rick's forefinger grazes his wrist until he can feel the small leather thread around it. He lowers his arms, and he pulls on the leather until it slams back into his skin. The pain is enough of an incentive, and it quiets his impulses to lash out at his father.

"I will drive to the hospital," Rick answers, and he starts to walk away from the small crowd.

Satisfied, Carlton climbs in the ambulance, and he expectantly looks at his wife. The message lacks subtlety, and Morgan does not bother to show any sign of frustration with his best friend's son. Morgan will not allow vultures to surround Richard senior. If Carlton wants Morgan out of the ambulance, he will have to shove him out in a forceful manner. The older man sits, and he throws a look, which says it all toward the Grimes couple. Morgan' impatience and urgency of the moment fuel the tension in the air. The direness of the situation does not restore sensitivity to the minds, and Carlton wants to create a scene.

"I will join you there." Jessie does not rise to Morgan's challenging glance, but Carlton wants to be stubborn.

Jessie leans toward her husband, and she whispers words, which appease him. Carlton sighs and he climbs in the ambulance. Jessie presses a kiss on her husband's lips, and Carlton's grip tightens around her waist while he glances at his son walking away. The time is not propitious for insecurities, and Carlton should not allow the past to haunt him. The ambulance leaves and Jessie searches for Rick with her eyes. Once Jessie finds Rick, she stars to run toward him. Her fingers curl around his arm, and she stops him. Rick glances at her hand on his arm, and he slaps it away as he will do with dust on suede shoes. Although, Jessie stubbornly refuses to acknowledge his act of rejection. They deserve a chance to rekindle as Richard senior's days are numbered. She is close to her goal, and Rick is one of those.

"Can you offer me a ride, Rick?" Jessie asks with a soft tone, and she has a look full of hope.

Rick has not offered her a chance to get closer to him, and she can't fix what is wrong between them if he always walks away from her. Now, Jessie has a chance to corner. A car appears to be the perfect space. She needs to have a conversation with him, and she needs to tell him what she always intended to do for them. No answer dignifies her question, and Rick walks back to their previous spot. Jessie trails him, and Rick clenches his jaws. He stops in front of a Michonne, which is distraught. The young woman waits for Maggie, and she does not believe herself able to drive in her state. Rick grabs Michonne's hand, and he drags her toward his car. Confused, Michonne stares at him, and she attempts to protest. They pass Jessie, who angrily stares at the walking pair.

"Rick?" Jessie questioningly calls after him, and Rick's hand crushes Michonne's finger.

He wants to reach for his leather bracelet, but he does not feel the need to let go of Michonne's hand. Michonne's hand is warm and comforting. It is a strange affair how her presence equates discomfort and a safe familiarity. The situation has left him unable to cope with basic emotions, and Jessie may trigger him. He crushes Michonne's fingers, and she confusedly stares at Rick. There is something extremely odd with him.

"It is a two-seat car." Rick nonchalantly throws at Jessie, and he continues to drag a confused Michonne to his car.

As soon as he shoves Michonne in the passenger, Rick slams the door close. Michonne does not have a second to react. Rick slides in the driver seat, and he takes a deep breath, which does not change anything to his emotional situation. He tries again and fails. Silence fills the car while Michonne watches Rick slowly shed layers of his emotional control. Many failed attempts to take a deep breath turn into frustration. Frustration becomes fury, and pulling on his leather bracelet does not help to quiet his emotions. Michonne continues to glance at Rick, and his hand pulling his bracelet. She tentatively reaches for him, but his voice fills the car before her hand can cross half of the distance between their seats.

"Don't!" He quietly warns her, and the sound of his voice is strained.

Michonne makes herself small, and she almost wishes to disappear. She knows to obey his demand. She can feel the anger and anxiety rolling in wave out of him, and her eyes continue to stare at the bracelet on his wrist. Perfect Rick Grimes is not so perfect. Rick Grimes has an anger management issue, and it should not come as a surprise to Michonne. For the last day, she has been in the receiving end of his fury. Although, Michonne presently wants to point out his flaw. She wants to rub in his face that he is not as perfect as he thinks he is. Rick can't handle pressure, and he has to hide behind one of the most primitive human emotion. She wants to rub salt on his wound as he does with hers. The sounds of his hands slamming in the steering wheel multiple times bring Michonne out of her thoughts born from the baseness of her humanity.

Suddenly, the satisfaction to watch Rick fall from his high horse disappears. He has his head between his hands, and she hears him talk himself away from the edge. He repeats a mantra about control, and the skin around his wrist is red. Again, she attempts to reach for him, and he flinches away from her touch as if he can sense her. Michonne does not stop nor does she heed his warning. Her hands find his back, and she rubs it into a soothing motion until her fingers start to graze her nape. Rick sighs and he leans in the comfort of her fingers.

"Are you okay?" She whispers afraid to startle him, but Michonne's voice is enough to remind Rick, who his source of comfort is.

He answers her with a look, which verbally will equate to a fuck off viciously spat. Rick shrugs away, and he wants to run away from the finger still twisted in the hair of his nape. He lacks the strength to pry away her hand, and he may be a bit grateful, which is why he allows her hand to stay on his nape. However, Michonne received the message behind his look loud and clear. Consequently, she opens the car's door, and she will rather leave than allow Rick Grimes to have another opportunity to treat her with disdain and haughtiness.

"He will want you there." Rick quietly says, but he refuses to look at Michonne nor does he intend to be polite.

Unwilling to start a possible argument, Michonne closes the car's door, and she stares at the window while Rick drives away.

* * *

Michonne's tenth message goes unanswered, and her fingers twitch. The silence in the car drives her crazy. Philip's disinterest may finish what Rick Grimes started. She shoves her thumbs into her upper lids, and she rubs her eyes in hope that the need to cry will disappear. Michonne's mind tries to divert from the thought of Richard senior. Michonne only wants comfort. Staring at the passing scenery no longer distracts her, and she needs a form of acknowledgement. She sends the eleventh message, and it goes unanswered. Michonne's need for comfort twists into a need for acknowledgement. However, Rick Grimes dedicatedly ignores her. Her hands continue to itch, and she wants any form of comfort, which she can get.

"Do you have a cigarette?" She asks.

Michonne waits for Rick's answer, and it never comes. She needs his voice to fill the car, and she does not want to go insane due to building anxiety. She does not want the pain to swallow her. The silence reminds her that they are on the verge of a tragedy. Michonne does not want to think about the bold red letters. She wants comfort, and she wants a cigarette. Michonne needs a cigarette, and she looks at the very silent phone on her laps. Why does she submit herself to this emotional turmoil? Every emotion attempts to take over, and her hands sink into her bare legs. Michonne stares at the purple baby doll, which she wears. Unprepared, she completely feels unable to deal with the upcoming tragedy.

Michonne needs a cigarette. She does not want to feel the pain, and she needs to substitute it with anything. She needs a cigarette, and Michonne reiterates her question. Rick continues to ignore her, and Michonne feels her emotions twist and rearrange themselves. She can no longer stand it, and she can no longer stand him. The pain and the anxiety are heavy on her mind. The silence makes everything worse. Michonne smooths her hand along the silk of her baby doll, and she deeply inhales.

"Let me down." She calmly demands, and she expects Rick to jump on the opportunity to get rid of her.

Rick glances at her, and he does nothing else. He ignores her and feeds the confused mix of emotion, which threatens to swallow Michonne. She passes her hand in her dreadlock, and she stares at her phone. She can't stay in this car, and she can allow Rick to treat her as he does. Too many people treat her badly, and she knows it. Why does she allow it? The moment is inadequate and imperfect for such epiphany, but Michonne does not want to think about her grandpa battling cancer. She does not want to think about the cigarette, which she needs. She does not want to think about her poor excuses of a boyfriend, Philip Blake. Rick's silence does the trick, and her anger suppresses all those thoughts.

"I said let me down." She shouts, and it gains her the acknowledgement, which she wants.

Rick cocks an eyebrow, and Michonne suddenly reverses their usual dynamic. Michonne is lashing out at Rick while he stares at her in confusion. Rick draws a deep breath, and he wants to ignore Michonne. Despite his goodwill, he is unable to ignore Michonne. For as long as he has known her, he has never been able to ignore. With her, Things are not as easy as they are with Jessie and his father. He doesn't get to choose if he must react, and he simply must react. Michonne stares at Rick with an eagerness to consume him with her fury.

"In the middle of a deserted road." Rick deadpans, and his calm and controlled tone does not please Michonne.

"The fuck you care." She shouts at him, and she feels better inside.

It is not comfort, but it is close in the warmth it brings. Perhaps, Rick lashes out so often at her because of the comfort, which can be drawn when someone acknowledges your pain. She does not know how he feels after telling to her these horrible things, but she knows that telling him those things takes away her mind from everything beyond her control. Sparing with him quiets her heart, and she does not want to curl in a ball and cry. She won't feel great after the argument's end. When they reach the hospital, she won't feel great, but it is a palliative. Now, she does not need Philip to answer her message. Does Rick attack her because it is an emotional palliative?

"You're right, and I truly don't...Grandpa Morgan cares, and my grandfather cares." Rick replies, and Michonne is not satisfied.

Rick is not as vulnerable as she is to viciousness. He stares at her as if she is a child claiming to be able of a prowess beyond her age. His eyes almost twinkle in a mockery of her anger. Control is a thing, which he holds tight on. When he unleashes his fury on her, he is in control, but Michonne is all over the place. She simply wants to silence her fear and anguish.

"Oh true, they appointed you as my personal saviour. My knight in a shiny armour. Rick Grimes my hero turned bully." She continues to poke him, and she wants a true reaction.

Rick will acknowledge her, and he will be passionate about it. Michonne can't start to explain why grudges from ten years ago resurface, but she does not attempt to be the mature party. The situation has very little do with Rick himself, but he is a good catalyzer. Does she care about Philip not picking her call for help? No, she knows he is not right for her. She is stubborn and afraid to be alone. Her world is a ruin, and the destruction started years prior. Tonight is the apogee of a nightmare, and Richard senior is a vestige of a time when she had a semblance of happiness. Tears start to fill her eyes, and the anger no longer consumes the fear and the despair. The pain returns with a vengeance, and Michonne stares at her phone. She always ran after comfort, and she wipes the tears, which dare to disobey her command.

"Are you drunk?" Rick inquires with a taunting tone, and it nips at the pain, which Michonne feels.

"Do I need an excuse to be an asshole? You never seem to need one." She counters, and Michonne does not want to let go of this vile comfort, which she found in her moment of despair.

Rick sighs with exhaustion, and he will offer her this period of grace. He glances at her for a second, and he thinks better than to vocalize his concern for Michonne. The idea that he wants to comfort her is revolting to him, and so he chooses to be silent. Somehow, they are united in their fear for Richard senior's fate. He focuses on the road, but his silence is an offence, which pushes Michonne closer to the edges.

...

...

...

"Now, you can't talk. Too good to talk to me." She pushes with a trembling voice, and Rick ignores her.

Her eyes continue to glisten with unshed tears, and the rebel ones make their ways down her cheeks. She is in ruin, and she should not find new ways to crumble. However, Michonne is falling apart in Rick Grimes' car, and she attempts to fight it. She attempts to distract her mind, and in some way, she seeks her comfort where she received it once upon a time. Michonne does not want to tell him all those mean things. If she dares to ask Rick to hold while she cries because she can't lose their grandpa, Rick will shred her to pieces.

"Well, I'm not step-mommy dearest." Michonne continues to speak with an uncharacteristic petulance, and she does not miss the twitch in Rick's jaw.

"I don't bat my pretty lashes to please you, and I don't have misery in my pretty blue eyes. Is it what you like so much?" She may have missed part of the interaction between Rick and Jessie, but Michonne recognized the tension between the pair of ex-lover.

She knows that her words have started to ignite his anger, and Michonne continues to push. Rick will recognize her anger, and he will deal with it. She will find this twisted comfort.

"Oh, I don't fuck your dad, and then run to you for a more vigorous fuck." Michonne finishes in the midst of silent tears, which starts to turn into sobs.

The car stops, and she almost feels victorious. Misery loves company, and loneliness dulls in presence of acknowledgement. Her words have made Rick miserable, and she can see the dark path, where she drove him too. They can both crumble tonight, and Rick is not allowed to be so in control of his emotions.

"Get down" Rick angrily spat the word at her, and Michonne gracefully leaves the passenger seat.

Rick watches Michonne walks away, and they are three to two miles away from the hospital. She can walk for all he cares, but he cares too much. Rick is angry, and it is an impulse. He does not think about the bracelet on his wrist as the way to squash his anger, and he leaves the driver seat. In three long strides, he catches up with Michonne. With a swift motion, which they have both become accustomed to, Rick grabs Michonne's arm. He yanks her toward him, and she almost collides with his chest. Michonne is about to give him another verbal slap, but Rick intends to throw the first punch and return every blow. He starts to walk back to the car, and Michonne has to follow to avoid the pull on her shoulder joint to cause any strain.

Rick shoves Michonne back into the passenger seat, and he blocks the opening with his body. He leans toward her to a point that his knee sits between her legs, and many parts of his body overlap her. Michonne's heartbeat becomes arrhythmic, and she attempts to shove Rick out of her way. Rick swats her hands away, and he continues to take more of her personal space.

"Ten years…" Rick draws a deep breath, and he again swats Michonne hands out of his way. He will get to her, and she won't be able to stop him.

"You still do the same thang, and you're still that brat begging for my attention." He continuous to crawl her personal space in an intimidating manner.

Michonne places her hands on his chest to move away from him, but Rick fills the entire car's door. Her fingers hold on the soft cotton of the t-shirt, which he paired with his flannel pyjama's pants.

"Rick, look at me. Rick, please give a damn about me. It is a miracle you never asked me to fuck you." Rick spits with an ambiguous tone, and he pushes few locks, which cover Michonne's visage away. Michonne swats Rick's hand away from her face, and she continues to push him.

"A way or another, you would have found a way to ruin my life. I didn't give you the attention, which you craved, and so you took it upon yourself to create that twisted lie. You saw me looking completely out of it. I know you saw, and I know you drag me to the couch. You loved me, but you must have believed that I was utter trash to sleep with my stepmother." Rick pulls away from Michonne as if he needs the distance to revisit that night safely, and he may have said more than he wanted.

He slams the passenger door, and he returns to the driver side. Michonne has barely moved from the defensive stance, which she took again him. For minutes, she attempts to process his words, and they don't make sense to her. Rick has already started to the car, and when the hospital appears in their field of vision, Michonne dares to speak.

"What are you talking about?" She confusedly asks.

"You should know better than I do. From what I heard, you had a lot to say to Carlton about Jessie and me. You had the audacity to run after me and pretend to care or were it to gloat. Too noble to sleep with someone underage yet willing, but my stepmother was right up my alley. Does it sound in character to you?" Rick says with scorching venom, and Michonne stares at him as if he is a raving lunatic.

She does not have the time to counter his claim as she intends to do. Rick is already pulling her out of the car, and flashes suddenly assault their eyes. Michonne does not have the time to process his words, and she does not have the time to pinpoint the core of his anger. Everything goes beyond the fact that she speaks, and Rick may have not handled his change of status in her eyes.

...

...

...

"Rick?" She tries to talk to him, but her voice disappears under the loud clicks of cameras.

"Michonne…Michonne." The paparazzi shout her name, and she can't see ahead of her.

Michonne stumbles at every step. The cameras' flashes blind her, and the constant loud noises distract her. Her adrenaline increases, and she wants the night to end. Rick has somehow disappeared, and Michonne did not expect him to stay by her side. Paparazzi are a mess, which she has to deal with as e Philip says. Her boyfriend also disappears in those moments.

"Are you drunk, Michonne?" She hears the taunting voice, and she tries to correct her gait.

Michonne does not want another rumour on the front page, and she can already imagine the headlines. The night continues to be a nightmare, and Michonne continues to crave a cigarette. Michonne continues to need comfort. She can't see ahead of her because of the blinding camera's flashes

"Fuck off," Rick says to one of the paparazzi as he stands in front of Michonne and pushes the camera away from her.

Michonne does not expect his help, but she receives it. He grabs her hand, and Rick drags her body to his side. She hides her face into his flank, and his perfume fills her air. Perhaps, it is despair because she can hide from reality. Conceivably, it is the anger because once again, a difficult moment of her life is immortalized for public consumption, but the reason matters little. At that moment nested in the side of Rick's body while his arm shields them from the flashes, Michonne finds a transient comfort. She takes in his scent, and she crushes Rick's waist with an ironclad hug. Rick leads her until the hospital's emergency room, and then he pries her arm away from his waist.

"Thank you," Michonne says, and Rick walks away without acknowledging her words.

* * *

The family waits in a corridor, and the entire room is quiet. They scarcely exchange looks, and the tension from previous events has not melted. After their previous, Michonne and Rick have put the distance of three seas between them. Michonne leans on Morgan's shoulder, and Rick holds Maggie's hand. Hearts are heavy, and Michonne shed silent tears while Morgan tells her to hold on. Jessie and Carlton are in their corner, and they are maybe the most collected in the group. Their hushed conversation is the only thing, which disturbs the quietness of the room until Michonne's phone starts to ring. Michonne turns it to face the screen and reads the caller id. She wants to reject the call as he did hers, but she has to quiet her mind.

"Excuse me, I will be back." She whispers the words and places a kiss on her grandfather's cheek.

Michonne walks out of the emergency corridor, and she carefully tries to avoid the paparazzi, who might be around. Michonne's phone continues to ring, and it disturbs the relative quietness in the small hospital's corridor. A sigh at the caller Id and Michonne's blood boils. She no longer knows why she continues to expect more than what he offers. Michonne does not know why she settles for what Philip barely attempts to offer. Michonne takes a deep breath, and she accepts the call.

"Call them off." She says as a greeting, but Philip has crossed many lines, which she never expected him to cross.

"What…" Michonne interrupts him before he can lie his way out of consequences, and her assertiveness silences her boyfriend.

"I know you read my messages, and you sent those paparazzi to the hospital entrance. You could not send a reply back, but you could place several calls to have those paparazzi ready." Michonne's voice drops in octaves, but it is the only way to hide the growing tremors in it. "Call your paparazzi off." Michonne hisses before Philip can say anything to excuse his behaviour.

"Michonne, darling. How do you feel?" He does not bother with pretence nor does his voice display any sign of shame.

Another expectation, which she shouldn't have allowed herself to have. It is not the first time that Philip pulled this type of stunt. However, Michonne only wanted support, but he will always run behind publicity. Does he even respect her? She knows the answer to that question, and her sadness once again hides behind her growing anger.

"Philip, I don't have to go through this." Michonne sighs with exhaustion, and she pushes her loose locks away from her face.

The tension settles between her shoulder, and she feels like shouting her fury. She takes another deep breath and leans against a wall. There is a weighty silence in both side, and she should hang up. He is not worth the anger, and Philip is another failure in a decade of years plagued by many failures. Michonne won't find the comfort, which she needs with Philip Blake, and she knows it. Although, the admission is difficult, and so she stubbornly decides to disregard what she knows. Michonne fears loneliness, and tonight is the worse night to be alone. However, she is clinging on someone, who has never been there for her.

"This is a private and trying time for my family. You could respect that, and you should respect that. You could care about me." Michonne says with a pleading tone, but she knows that she should not have to plead with her boyfriend for consideration.

"I care about you. I care about your career..." The last word confirms what she has known for years, and the truth will never change.

The lack of effort into the lie infuriates Michonne, and she has to admit the truth. Michonne is a client to Philip, and if the night has thought Michonne something, it is to strive for acknowledgement. She draws a deep breath, and she regrets the soothing effect of nicotine. Her nerves won't survive this night. Her world will continue to crumble.

"And you need public's sympathy, not privacy." Philip continues to speak, and he does not take the cue from Michonne's sudden silence.

If he wants to treat her like a client, she should remind him what his place is. From all Rick Grimes puts her through, he may have awakened something long lost in Michonne. Michonne moves away from the wall where she was leaning, and she straightens her spine. She can no longer stand this, and she no longer wants to stand it. Why does she allow everyone to treat her like a doormat in hope to gain love in return?

"Fuck off, Philip…" She confidently says, and he attempts to stop her with some soothing words.

Although, she no longer wants to be complicit of his lies, and his poor choice of words will not quiet her heart. Michonne wants acknowledgement, she wants comfort, and she wants a cigarette. Philip Blake can't offer anything on that list.

"Go snort cocaine or any other shit you do on my dime, I don't care as long as I don't see your hired paparazzi. If I see another paparazzo, you're fired." Michonne hangs up before her agent can recover from her words, and she returns to Morgan's side.

Her phone rings again, and she chooses to ignore his calls.

* * *

Two hours have passed, and they have heard no news about Richard senior's health status. The lack of knowledge on Richard senior status increases the tension in the room, and the need for comfort exponentially grows. The Grimes subconsciously starts to form a cluster, but Carlton and Jessie continue to stand aside. Eventually, Rick and Michonne end in a position when she is close enough to lean on him. The fatigue and anxiety may be the reason why he allows her to rest his head on her shoulder, but the reason why Rick's fingers constantly graze her finger is unexplainable. The act on itself is subconscious, but he recognizes the comfort, which he gains from it. Therefore, he does not stop, and he hooks his little finger to Michonne's hand.

"Jessie, Carlton." The stern greeting startles everyone, and it breaks the haze around the mind.

Reality settles, and some subconscious actions become obvious. Rick pulls his hand away from Michonne's one, and he puts as much mental and physical distance between him and Michonne. Everyone stares at the man with the white coat and waits for him to pursue.

"Mr Jones, I did see you there, and you must be the rest of the Grimes family." The doctor continues to speak, and his platitudes are not welcomed in such time.

Although, it is comforting. If he has time for small talk then the situation may not be dire.

" I'm Richard senior's general physician, Doctor Pete Anderson." The man says as he extends his hand for anyone to shake.

"General physician?" Rick questions, but his tone shows his extreme surprise.

He glances in Morgan's direction, and Michonne, who stands by Morgan, shares Rick's confusion. Their facial expressions are borderline rude, and Pete allows his extend hand to fall when he notices that the chance from anyone to shake it are minimal.

"Pete is very good at his job." Jessie states and she moves away from the corner where she stood with her husband.

She exchanges a meaningful look with Pete, and Morgan rolls his eyes. Although, he decides to focus on the matter of importance.

"And you would know because you are a medical expert, Jessica," Rick says with a haughtiness, which Michonne has started to associate with his treatment of his stepmother.

Until a few hours ago, Michonne believed that Rick made use of his venom only with her, but Jessica Grimes could also be on the receiving end of his malicious tongue. If Michonne is being objective, she will say that Rick is harsher with his stepmother. Around Michonne, Rick is hesitant in his anger, and it is impulsive. With Jessie, his anger is calculated.

"Rick doesn't want to be insulting, but we should meet Grandpa Richard's oncologist. Grandpa has an oncologist, right?" Michonne intervenes before the conversation derails, and Rick glares at her.

Rick bites his tongue not to act on his impulse, and he allows Michonne to be the diplomatic voice.

"King County is a small place, and the oncologists are scarce commodities. This is a small town hospital, and Doctor Anderson is qualified." Carlton backs down his wife, and he directs another look fool of disdain to his son.

"And this..." Rick points at the hospital's old wall, and his forefinger ends on Pete, who wishes he could be away from this hospital corridor. "This dump and a general physician are good enough for grandpa's care. These fucking crumbling walls are good enough for you so-called father's care. What the fuck is going on?" Rick continues to speak, and he glances a second time at Pete Anderson.

Even in this moment of frustration, he has the impression to know the man, and the physician name is not foreign to his mind. Although, he has not been in King County for ten years. Ten years ago, the few passing acquaintances he had in king county were Jessie's friend. He does not explore the feeling of familiarity, and he is too busy antagonizing his father. The rest of the room stares at Rick, and his rudeness leaves everyone speechless for a second.

As a force of habit, Michonne recovers before anyone else, and she glares at Rick. However, she shares his opinion about the hospital. King County general hospital is a crumbling building with many doctors, who rely on old age medical knowledge.

"Rick." Michonne chastises," He does not mean it that way." Michonne offers as a form of apology, which she knows Rick will never issue, and she moves to Rick's left side.

"If Richard bothered with your family the last ten years, he will know what is going on. Jessica and I thought it would be convenient for dad. Pete is a longtime friend of her and me. If he wants to waltz in the room with demand, Richard would do good to remember that he isn't welcome nor is he wanted around here." Carlton replies to Michonne, but he has his eyes on his son, which has a matching expression of disdain.

"If this damp is not good enough for you, feel free to leave the place or better continue your exile." Carlton addresses the last word to his son, and Rick's nonchalance infuriates him.

"Carlton, I'm not …" Rick intends to rise to his father's challenge, and he starts to move toward Carlton.

Michonne grabs Rick's hand, and she keeps him in place. Her quick reaction surprises Rick, and it delays his reaction to her audacity to touch. Michonne pulls on the leather bracelet around Rick's wrist.

"This is a hospital, and grandpa Richard is not well. You will control yourself Richard Grimes junior, or God help me, I will teach you some manners." Michonne says while she shoves him back.

Morgan looks at his granddaughter, and he is glad that he did not bet with Richard senior. He had faith in the impossible, but when she wants to have a spine, Michonne has a steel one. Her tone suffices to keep Rick in check although his pride demands a retribution. Rick raises his hand in surrender, and he takes two steps back.

"For future references, don't touch me or God help me, Michonne Jones," Rick whispers for Michonne's ears.

He has a need to soothe his ego, and Rick does not want to admit that Michonne could yield the authoritative ability to calm him when he is in a state where he has no emotional control.

"Perhaps, we should all worry about Grandpa." Maggie decides to jump in the conversation after Michonne successfully puts a stop to Rick's exuberant anger.

"Pete, sorry. My stepson is out of line." Jessie adds in the same spirit to pacify the room, and she throws a small glance toward her ex-boyfriend, which her husband does not miss.

"I don't remember giving you the authority to apologize in my behalf, dear stepmother." Rick drawls with the remaining ounce of pettiness in him, and Michonne passes her hand in her dreadlocks.

Rick Grimes has the ability to drive her mad, and she would not know where to start. She glares at Rick with the intent to warn him, and he cocks an eyebrow in a challenge, which Michonne chooses to ignore.

"I was simply stating the truth, and I will be glad to leave this dump with grandpa. Is there a way to request a hospital transfer?" When Michonne does not rise to his challenge, Rick continues with a small smirk, and he turns toward Pete to hear the answer to his question.

"I will give you a minute for this type of discussion, and you can do so as a family." Pete rushes the answer, and his voice lacks confident.

Rick's statement brings a sourness to his mouth, and he looks at Jessie with a certain glimmer in his eyes. Although, the rest of the room assume that Rick rudeness caused Pete's paleness and his sudden abrasiveness. Pete can no longer stay in the room and cold sweat starts to run down his spine. His eyes filled with fear fall on Jessie again. His furtive glances are insistent, and Pete hopes she gets the message. Too eager to leave, Pete starts to walk away without delivering the news about Richard senior's health.

"Doctor Anderson…" Morgan calls for him, and Pete stumbles on his foot. "You have not told us anything about Richard."

"As for now, Richard senior is perfectly fine. The loss of consciousness was a false alarm and a reaction to his chemo. You may go into the room in a small group and for a brief period. We will keep him for a night observation and discharge him in the morning." Pete says while he gets a grip of his emotions, and he will do him no good to panic.

Pete starts to walk away, and he hears the step following. He prays that it is not Rick Grimes requesting a transfer for Richard Grimes.

"I need a minute with you, Pete," Jessie says loud for the prying ears around or precisely her husband and Morgan.

...

...

...

"You promised me, I wasn't taking any risk." Pete wants to shout, but he has to settle for whisper-shouts.

They are in his locked office, but the subject of their conversation is too delicate. If anyone hears them, Pete is not ready to face the consequences. He furiously glares at Jessie, and she does not share his fear. She wraps her arm around his waist, and she places a soothing kiss on his lips. Jessie's hands rub his back, and she starts to deepen the kiss.

"You need to calm down, Pete." Jessie quietly says as she breaks the kiss, and she goes to sit on his desk.

Pete looks at his twelve years girlfriend as if she lacks a functioning brain. How does she not grasp the gravity of the situation? He would not be in this risky predicament without her greed and stupid idea. He should have broken up with her when she started to date that arrogant rich prat, the same infamous Rick Grimes, but she convinced him to see the benefit. She would be getting him through medical school without the debt, and she did. He should have left when she married her side dish' father, but again she showed him the virtues of her association with Carlton. They would start putting money for a private practice, and she started to give him these ridiculously high amounts of money. However, He should have put a stop to this farce when she suggested something so illegal. Jessie always knew how to appeal to him, and this time, she promised him his place in the family, which he helped create.

"Do you know what that transfer can cause? I'm not only losing my license. If you pretty boy goes through with that transfer, I will go to jail for negligence and medical malpractice. You convinced me to give placebos to a cancer patient. Essentially, I'm watching him die. I should have never told you about Richard senior. I knew it was a mistake. Was it your plan? Are you trying to get rid of me? Is it for the pretty boy?" Pete's panic adds tremors to his voice, and Jessie looks at him with a patronizing smile.

"Rick can't do shit. He does not have the legal power over his grandfather, and I don't think Richard senior will side against Carlton. This is a perfect crime, and we just have to watch. You continue to give him whatever you give him, and I will soon be able to divorce Carlton with half of the Grimes' fortune as a farewell gift. I just need you to do your part. Have I ever failed in delivering what I promised, Pete? I gave you a full college ride. I gave you enough to live comfortably with this mediocre salary. I need you to do your part, and so I will do mine." Her tone hardens because Pete's cowardice exhausts her.

Jessie leaves Pete's desk, and she takes his face between her palms. She has done it multiple times, and she knows what she needs to say to manipulate him. Jessie's thumbs rub Pete's face, and she remembers to be careful. His machismo makes him dangerous, and she does not want to risk his anger. She looks into his eyes, and she waits for his weakness to resurface. Pete averts his eyes, and Jessie knows that it is her time to strike.

"I don't care about Rick Grimes, and he was a mean to an end. I love you, and I have proved it. What have you done for me? Nothing. I whore myself to an old man for you. I gave you a life. What did you give me, Pete? Empty promises for two years and bruises, which I have forgiven. For two years, it was empty promises and an empty stomach until I found a way around misery and poverty. Rick was a meal, Carlton was access to the feast, and Richard's senior will secure an eternal seat at the greatest table. I need you to do your part. Do what a man should do for his woman. No one can blame you for the death of a cancer patient." She finishes her tirade with a small encouraging smile, and she kisses Pete's anxiety away.

"Just make sure that there is no request for a transfer. If your pretty boy has his wish, it is over for us." Pete says while he grips on Jessie becomes bruising. "I mean us like you and me. If I fall, you will be right behind me. If you're thinking about double-crossing me, I will advise you to forget about it." Pete says as he recovers his bravado, and he kisses Jessie's hand.

"It won't happen. A few more months and we will be rich and together."


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the reviews.**

 **I don't own the vampire diaries.**

 **A reader thought Rick self-harms because he uses a leather band to snap on his wrist, but it is actually a common technique use with people in anger management therapy. it is called snap out of it, and you can do it with a rubber band around the wrist or a leather band. it is psychiatric conditioning.**

 **please, review.**

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 **Chapter IV: Inconvenient matrimony.**

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The conversation has lasted half an hour, and the opinions are not about to change. The Jones looks at the grandson and grandfather with consternation. They are both too stubborn, and a conversation between two walls is not one, which they want to witness. However, that is the only thing, which can stand as a description of the exchange between Rick and Richard senior. Michonne sighs, and she starts to pace. Richard Grimes senior has made his demand known, and he will not take anything in exchange of a medical transfer. He wants a marriage in exchange, and Rick does not intend to agree. Michonne has heard it all already, but Rick is careful with her tongue. In the half an hour, he has called her a drug addict only once, and it is progress.

"Do you have to be stubborn about it?" Rick asks at the end of a long tirade on why He deserves better, and Michonne is grateful.

If she had to roll her eyes for another time at his open jab at her, she will have eroded her orbits. Morgan shares Michonne's exhaustion, and they share the same look. If she were not the topic of discussion, Michonne would leave the room. Morgan leaves the room after sighing loudly for the benefit of the remaining crowd in the room.

"Tell him that he is stubborn." Rick turns toward Michonne to ask for her assistance, and Michonne's eyebrows fly to her hairline.

She has to swallow her petty remark. The situation is dire, and she shares Rick's belief in the situation. Richard senior deserves specialized care, and he won't find it in King County general. The issue does not rest on the money, but stubbornness is the biggest flaw of Grimes men. Richard senior has made peace with his health situation, and he does not want to be the subject of a medical stubbornness. He does not want his last day to be undignified. He wants to die where he is born. However, he is willing to compromise.

"Pot calling the kettle black." Michonne offers from the wall corner where she chose to disappear as soon as Rick started to recite the ridiculous reason why he hates her.

Nothing new and it is not worth her attention. Michonne moves away from the wall, and she joins the arguing pair. She sits by Richard senior, and she takes his hand and intertwines their fingers. Michonne raises her head, and she locks eyes with Rick, who sits opposite to her. The conversation is silent, and it is strangely respectful. They know when to be mature about the situation.

"As if it is the same thing. He is forcing me to get married to you, and I'm trying to get him the best medical care." Rick breaks their silent conversation to start a vocal one.

Richard senior looks at his grandchild, and he wonders why they are too stupid to face such a simple truth. They know how to function as a pair when they don't fight their symbiosis. Richard senior takes a deep breath, and he wants to force reason in the stubborn mind.

"A new hospital bed won't cure me. It won't make me feel better, but Marrying Michonne will make you happy." Richard senior says with unwavering confidence.

Michonne and Rick chuckle at the ridiculousness of the statement. Anyone with common sense can tell that a marriage between the pair will end in a crime of passion. When he is not rude to her, Michonne finds the way to infuriate Rick. When Michonne is nice to Rick, he can't stand it. They always have a reason to argue or they create it.

"Grandpa..." Rick starts to speak, and Michonne rubs her temple.

She raises her hand to stop him, and Michonne does not want round two of their back and forth. The night has exhausted her, and their vigorous exchange may contribute to the worse headache of Michonne's life.

"I will take over, and you should join Grandpa Morgan before you give Grandpa Richard a heart attack with all your shouting." She politely dismisses Rick, and she expects him to protest.

"Be my guest." He replies.

However, Michonne has shown enough of her character to Rick, and he knows not to push when she is on the edge. He is too exhausted to fight with Michonne. He stands and reluctantly leaves the room.

….

*… *

*…

"Rick is right, Grandpa Richard." Michonne starts to speak, and Richard senior throws at her an all-knowing look.

He sits up and squeezes Michonne's hand. He is glad to have her by his side, and she is the reasonable one in the pair. He looks at her with a quizzical expression, which Michonne wants to question.

"No, he is a stubborn idiot." Richard senior replies with unwavering confidence and Michonne laughs.

It is Michonne's first genuine laugh in the day, and this is why she is afraid to lose her grandfather. Richard senior has a candour, which helps ground Michonne. He has a way to keep misery at bay with his honesty and his joyful nature. For a second, she can forget about her ruined image and her growing loneliness. Richard senior reads her melancholy on Michonne's saddened expression, and he squeezes her hand until she comes out of those dark thoughts.

"What happens if I'm not so willing to marry him? He is arrogant and angry, and he hates me. I don't think you want me to marry someone who hates me." Michonne quietly says, and Richard senior waves her doubt with his hand.

He smiles at her with the same expression he used to look at her when she was a confused child. The smile is warm, and Michonne finds the comfort, which she wanted. She knows he is about to lecture her, but Michonne does not care as long as she can hear him speak for hours.

"You're a misinformed fool, Chonne. If you think Rick hates you, you need more romance in your life. So young and yet so unpassionate." He laments with an exaggerated sigh, and Michonne rolls her eyes at her grandpa's shenanigans.

"Rick was a difficult little boy. I mean downright terrible. An emotional dictator. He felt everything with so much intensity, and he did everything with tiring intensity. If He didn't like you, he didn't talk to you. If he hated you, he would leave the room when you stepped in. With the years, nothing has changed in that regards. Believe me, he does not hate you. He is confused, angry, hurt, and incapable to process his feelings. Therefore, he is lashing out on a stable emotional point. An emotional constant, you." Richard senior points out what Michonne can understand.

Being in the centre of the conflict, she does not have her grandfather's objectivity. Michonne is Rick's emotional constant. For years, he carried the same feeling for her, and chances are that he still carries them buried behind the anger. Christmas Eve was emotionally traumatic, and the morning, which followed destroyed Rick's emotional balance. Through every event, Michonne is a constant. She helps him channel his emotions. Fear, anger, and love, Rick associates everything during that night to Michonne. He kissed her when he was in a euphoric state. He kept eye contact with her when he was in deep terror. He ultimately lashed out when he did not know what to do with his anger. Michonne is Rick's thread of sanity, and he is holding too hard on that thread.

"Richard is not a child." Michonne refuses to accept the excuses, which Richard senior on behalf of his grandson.

"He has the emotional range of a six-year-old. If I'm being generous, he may have the emotional range of an eight-year-old. What Rick can't process turns into anger, and it does not help that you allow him to be out of line." Michonne's rebuttal of the fact does not stop Richard senior, and he continues to shed light on the complicated dynamic Michonne and Rick have.

When her grandpa calls her an enabler, Michonne allows an indignant cry to fall from her lips. Although, she can't contradict the truth behind his words. Tonight, she has seen that she could ask respect from Rick. When she demanded something from him, Rick complied.

"Rick won't stop until you acknowledge something he does not know that he is expressing. If you silently take every punch, he will continue to throw them until you acknowledge his pain." Michonne's words can't disprove Richard's claim because she knows from experience.

Tonight, she walked in Rick's shoes, and she sought comfort where she knew she would find it in any available form. Michonne sought Rick because until ten years ago, he was a constant source of comfort. Michonne draws a deep breath, and she ignores her thoughts. She does not want to walk the memory lane, and Michonne does not want to create excuses for Rick Grimes. Although, his confession and accusations resonate in the crevice of her mind. She wants to ignore it, but a sentimental of betrayal coated each word, which Rick spoke. She does not want to acknowledge it, but Michonne knows that it goes beyond the fact that he thinks that she spoke to Carlton.

 _Too noble to sleep with someone underage, who willing throws herself at me, but my stepmother was right up my alley? Does it sound in character to you?_ Rick's words start to turn in a loop in Michonne's mind. She does not want to give ground to his anger, and she will rather believe that a misunderstanding fuels his anger. She was sixteen and in love. Why can he understand that fact? Why will he put so much on her shoulder?

 _You loved me and you still had to believed I was utter trash to sleep with my stepmother._ Michonne's mind starts to put her through torture, and it is hard to walk out another person's emotional conflict. Rick may not know the root of his anger, but Michonne starts to feel it. Rick was used to the admiration, which Michonne had from it, and she withdrew it when he needed it the most. Rick felt sullied, and Michonne's belief in his guilt strengthens the feeling. However, she was a sixteen year old in love, and she could not offer him a fair trial.

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…

..

"I'm not willing to deal with his man pain." Michonne voices her thoughts, and she tries to quiet her mind.

She looks into Richard's senior eyes, and all the Grimes men have these magnificent blue eyes, which looks deep into a being. Michonne feels bare, and Richard senior's soft look completely undoes her mental shield. Michonne shoves her thumbs in her eyelids, and she vigorously rubs until her tear ducts are too sore to allow the tears to flow.

"He treats me like dirt on his shoes." Michonne starts to argue with herself although she pretends that the arguments are for Richard senior's sake. "Those horrible things, which he says, they are not true. Grandpa Richard, I don't get it." Michonne continues, and Richard squeezes her hand to guide her through her emotional purge. "Somehow, he has gotten worse in ten years. Why do you want me to marry him?" Michonne asks with a timid voice.

"Because you both need happiness," Richard says softly, and he wipes that brave tear, which crosses the barrier of her eyelid.

Michonne does not want to tell her grandfather the truth. Perhaps, she does not want to admit the truth to herself. For some people, it is too late. Somethings are too heavy for a relationship, and other things have created deep scars. Too much salt on the wound and ten years have allowed that wound to fester. Christmas Eve consumed their chance of happiness.

"With Rick? I'm going to shut because my mama blesses her soul raised me right." Michonne's attempts to fake jolliness, but the laugh is hollow.

The flow of her tears is too fast, and she hides her visage in her hands. Michonne draws a deep breath, and she attempts to disregard what she now knows. She is thankful to Richard because he pretends that she is not a second away from sobbing. He rubs her back in soothing circles, and she fights the tears.

"Are you happy, baby?" Richard asks her the difficult questions, which she no longer dares asking to herself.

Michonne draws a deep breath, and her tongue no longer knows how to spew lies. Words refuse to leave the enclave of her throat, and so Michonne does not bother to answer.

"Are you fulfilled?" Richard senior insists, and the knife sinks deeper into Michonne's heart.

"Are you yourself?" He continues to unbury her fear, and He forces her to face them.

"Grandpa?" Michonne pleads with Richard, but he has to help her out her misery.

He squeezes on her hand to tell her that she has the source of comfort, which she needs. Michonne takes a deep breath, and she raises her head to face him. There is no judgement in his eyes, and there is no disappointment. There is only warmth, and Michonne can bask in it.

"Morgan and I always thought you will marry Richard. He had a way to drive you forward, and he made you strive for the best. If Richard knew how to climb a tree, you had to know how to do the same." The warmth in his eyes echoes the bright smile on his lips, and Michonne can almost relive those memories, which Richard senior wants to share with her.

"When you started to handle those twigs of yours, you will trail after him and you use to butcher his name. We always knew with Richard Michonne is safe. Around Richard, Michonne is happy. We figure out that you will work it out in your thirties. Old romantic fools, we are." Richard continues to explain the reason why he wants Michonne and Rick married.

"We are no longer children. That was a phase." Only regrets fill Michonne's statement.

She regrets their childhood, and Michonne regrets the days before Christmas Eve. If Christmas Eve never happened, Richard senior's dream might have become a reality. Michonne can picture it. For years, they would have orbited around each other. They would have dated people, and Rick will have his moment of epiphany. Now, it is too late and that fantasy is lost.

"You continue to behave like children. You pick every lost puppy you can find, Michonne. Sasha told Morgan about that boyfriend of yours. Wanting to make the world happy. Wanting to have someone to save. He is no good for you that man. He drains you, and I'm offering you a better charity case." He counters her argument.

"So you want me to save Rick. How will it make me happy? Do you want me to build a man from scratch? How outdated can it be, Grandpa?" Michonne needs a way to express her frustration to the situation.

Whatever her grandfathers are attempting to offer is a pale copy, which can't stand the comparison to what Rick and she could have had. Michonne does not want that pale copy, and she can't have what should have been. Therefore, she does not want a substitute.

"Get down of your offended feminist high horse. I'm telling you to save yourself. Baby, we both know you're drowning. If you need drug..." Richard says with a voice filled with indignation, and Michonne interrupts him before he can go further on the topic.

"It was once, and it was..." Michonne tries to explain although she is embarrassed and words tumble on the tip of her tongue.

"I don't want to hear excuses. Richard is a grown accomplished man. He is hard around the edge, but he isn't the best version of himself right now. I trust that he can remedy to the situation. You won't have to fix what is broken in him. He has too much pride to use you in that manner. He is going to build himself, and you're going to use him as a crutch." He says matter of factly, and he does not allow Michonne to stop him until he finishes his statement.

"If you were one of those strong souls able to achieve personal growth without allowing anyone to interrupt you, you would not need Richard. However, you pick strays along the road. Philip will go, and you will find one equally worse. I believe Rick is suitable for the stray role. You need a spine to handle him, and you will find one because it is natural for you to react to him. You need to feel of use because you like nurturing, but Rick will never drain you. His pride will prevent that. You always strived to please him, and you can't help yourself. However, you never wanted to turn into a version of you, which he would like. You wanted him to love the best version of you." Richard continues to explain what he has given great thought too.

Michonne listens to what her grandpa has to say, and he is essentially offering her a companion of sobriety.

"This is ridiculous. You can't just force us into a marriage because of some noble intents. I'm doing fine, and I'm happy." Michonne attempts to lie, but the dry tears on her cheek debunk her claim.

"Happy people don't take drugs, and happy people don't run away from who they are. They don't bend and twist their essence until it can fit a mould. Don't lie to yourself baby, you were never a good liar." Richard's words put the truth on display, and Michonne can't formulate a proper rebuttal.

"This is ridiculous. I don't need Rick to become a good person or a better person. This is ridiculous." She insists, and she knows those words to be true.

"And no one believes the contrary. You are a good person, who happens to forget it. No one can make you a better person or it is simply pretences. A mirror does not make you beautiful, and it reflects what you're. Someone needs to hold your hand when you crumble. I won't be able to do it anymore, and you love Morgan too much to submit him to your turmoil. Rick can do it, and he did it most of your childhood. You fall, and he picks you up. However, only you can walk the extra miles, and he will be cheering." Richard senior agrees with Michonne, and he corners her with his words.

"This Rick Grimes. This man? This is ridiculous. He would not spit on me if I was on fire." Michonne no longer knows which argument to offer.

"He would let you catch fire to start." Once again, Richard's wit defeats Michonne's argument.

"Obviously, he will set me on fire." Michonne petulantly says, and Richard senior laughs.

It is a tacit thing, but he knows that he has her agreement. Rick might be the most vocal about his refusal to cooperate, but Michonne was always the hardest to convince.

"Passion is a good thing in any type of marriage." He counters, and Michonne can't help herself.

She starts to laugh, and Richard senior pats her hand.

"Grandpa Richard." She laments at his antics, and he sheepishly grins at her.

"I'm simply talking from experience, Chonne." He continues to tease her until Michonne forgets about her previous tears.

"This is ridiculous." She repeats her last argument, and she knows that he has won.

"Perhaps, that is how ridiculous our lives have become," Richard says good-heartedly

"I..." She stutters because there is a sad truth to his words.

"My offer is on the table. If you want to turn me in a medical guinea pig before my death, you will have to pay my price." He says with a nonchalance, which eases his words to Michonne.

"We are trying to save your life. We're trying to give you the best care. You're making it impossible." Michonne says with false indignation.

"I'm an old man, who lived a great life. I had an amazing wife and had the greatest friendship. I'm good, baby." Richard says, and Michonne knows that there is no hope to convince him.

"You won't budge." She says as a way of agreeing to take his offer, and Richard senior kisses her cheek.

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The coffee in the plastic cup has become lukewarm, and Rick intermittently glances at the door of the small hospital cafeteria. He gives half thoughts to what Morgan says. There is that heavy tension, which precedes fatality on his shoulder. Rick only awaits confirmation, but tonight has sealed his fate. Once again, he glances at the door at every step sounds. He does not need to be clear-sighted to know how the conversation between Michonne and his grandfather will end. Rick sighs and he focuses at Morgan who looks at him with an all-knowing smile.

"He will convince her." Morgan reads his thoughts and echoes Rick's belief.

"I know," Rick says as he brings the insipid lukewarm coffee to his lips.

Rick sips his coffee, and he finds no comfort into the brewage taste. He passes his hand in his dishevelled curl, and he returns Morgan's smile with a grimace. For as long as Rick has thought of the issue, he does not understand the motivation behind this marriage of convenience, and he voices his doubts.

"Why would you even think we are compatible? Tonight, I almost dropped her in the middle of nowhere when she asked." Rick says with a tone filled with frustration and petulance.

At his statement, Morgan laughs, and he pats Rick's shoulder. Rick's stubbornness never ceases to amuse him.

"Glad you didn't because you would have walked back there to pick her," Morgan says after recovering from his laugh.

"I know, Grandpa Morgan." Rick echoes.

"You need to talk to her. If she is becoming your wife, this anger and resentment won't do." Morgan words slam into the almost jovial ambience, and the tension settles in the atmosphere.

Rick offers a tight smile, and he is quick to close himself to the suggestion. Morgan does not allow Rick attitude to be a barrier, and he leans back in his chair to take a good look at the young man. He quietly drinks his coffee for a minute, and he allows Rick to process his thoughts. The silent is not oppressive, but it is far from comfortable. Rick mimics Morgan, and he takes more of the bad coffee. The taste stays on Rick's tongue, and it is as bitter as anything feeling he has concerning this entire affair.

"There is nothing to talk about. It won't change the past." He quietly says, and he rushes to put the plastic cup in front of his lips because he has to fight the impulse to say more.

Rick does not like to revisit the matter, but in two days, he has not been able to think about anything but that dark past. His anger is beyond a level, which he can control, and it is the beginning of a vicious circle. The lack of control on the situation fuels his anger. He only wants to put distance between him and King County. However, he has no choice but to stick around.

"The great past when you had an inappropriate infatuation over Michonne," Morgan says with a nonchalance, which does not match the impact of his words.

Rick's expression changes again, and he tenses in a revealing manner. Morgan files his reaction as a tacit admission, and he did not need confirmation for what he figured out twelve years ago. The push and push game between Michonne and Rick is an ancient story. Although, it was never a cause of concern for Morgan because Rick knew where the boundaries lay. He never looked too long, and when his feelings grew, he put the right amount of distance between Michonne and him.

"We saw that." Morgan continues, and Rick starts to feel extremely uncomfortable.

"Looking at you now and your behaviours, you emulate a heartbroken lover, but one who is not over the infatuation," Morgan adds with that same taunting all-knowing smirk.

"I'm not in love with Michonne. It is anything but love. It is far from love." Rick vehemently protests the implied accusation.

Morgan squashes the temptation to quote Shakespeare. It will do no good to corner Rick to the point where discomfort makes him flee the room. There is a method to Rick Grimes madness.

"Love is an ambitious choice of words. For sure, you are angry with her, and you focus on that. However, she polarizes you, and you're in denial." Morgan starts to point the truth, and Rick crosses his arm in a challenging manner.

However, he does not have a verbal rebuttal for Morgan's statement. The conversation is increasingly uncomfortable, and he almost wants it to stop before they start to unbury long lost emotions. Rick does not want a few words to do the progress he did in ten years. Being around Michonne already feels like an emotional regression. Through his everyday life, Rick is more contained, but in the last two days, he has been acting on impulse. His entire life has turned into a succession of reaction, and it is unsettling. After Christmas Eve horror, he has clung on control, and around Michonne, he unravels.

"You don't hate her, and you seek her too much for that option to be credible." Morgan stops Rick before he can excuse his behaviours with the lies, which he chooses to believe for his emotion sanity.

"If she is in the room, Michonne is your focal point. That is not how you express hatred. That is closer to the expression of twisted, wavering, and undesired adoration. Hatred, it was you throw at Carlton. If he is in a room, you walk out because you can't stand the sight of your father. If Michonne is in the room, you will stay there and make sure she knows you're there." Those facts are irrefutable, and so Rick drinks his coffee with a sour face.

There are many truths, which are uncomfortable to hear. Morgan's words are painful to Rick. He does not want to hear them, and he does not want the weight, which they carry. Rick pushes his chair backwards, and the desire to stand and leave is strong. Morgan must notice the twitch of his legs because he takes a great pause to allow Rick to digest the truth. For a few minutes, they silently drink their coffee, which tastes like grounded granite.

"When you're in the same space, you make sure you're Michonne's sole focus and that she can't forget the interaction. You're heartbroken and infatuated. The wise thing to do is to take those emotions out of the playground. Albeit it is an extreme and lose version of pulling on her pigtails and it will only get you this far with a young woman. Michonne broke your heart, and you should tell her. It is immature to try to return the favour. If she broke it, she can fix it better than anything you attempt to do." Morgan finishes to speak, and the words are a brutal assault to Rick's emotion.

Rick can no longer sit still, and he stands to relieve the tension. He pinches the bridge of his nose, and he glares at Morgan with a certain anger for being forced to confront his emotions. For a minute, he paces back and forth. Rick stares at the door, and he wants to walk away. He should return to his apartment and forget about this visit.

"That is utter bullshit. Ain't nothang like what you describe between her and me. Bullshit." The protestations are weak, and they are mostly an expression of Rick's discomfort for having his feelings exposed.

"Your mother raised you better, Richard Grimes," Morgan calmly said, and he watches Rick paces like a Lion in a cage.

"Sorry, but there was no better way to express it." Rick returns to his seat, and he frowns.

"If you don't talk to her, Michonne and you are going to start a race on who ruin the other life faster," Morgan says, and Rick humorlessly laughs.

"Then she is ahead of the race, and I will be only returning the favour." Rick counters with a grim tone.

Morgan cocks an eyebrow in a questioning manner, and Rick refuses to expand on the matter. He looks into his coffee cup, and it is empty. The night continues to get worse.

"I trust you not to hurt my granddaughter." Morgan sincerely adds, and Rick knows that he has received an order to be on his best behaviours.

"Perhaps, marrying her to a man, who loves her could have prevented this possibility." Rick counters because his anger forces through him a desire of rebellion.

If they choose his wife, he might as well have the choice on how he wants to treat her. Deep down he knows that he is being immature, but petulance helps him cope with his turmoil.

"If it is any consolation, we believe we are doing that. As compensation for your great sacrifice, you get your grandfather shares of the company." Morgan says in mocking tone, and his sarcasm infuriates Rick.

"Where does that leave Carlton?" He questions, and there is a malicious interest in his eyes.

If his grandfather's ludicrous idea of what sounds like a bad plot for a regency romance screws him, Rick might as well gain something in return. The idea of leaving Carlton penniless is charming, and it is a consolation.

"Your grandfather does not want the work of a lifetime and his legacy to fall in non-Grimes' hands. Your children are going to be Grimes, and his children are not." Morgan spills the secret, which is not truly one, but Carlton appears to be the only one to believe his wife's lies.

There are traits, which are distinctive to the Grimes. For many generations, the Grimes men have looked like a copy of their father, and the likeness is unmistakable. However, Jessie's children do not carry any of those genetic traits. Only based on those facts, Morgan would not make such accusations, but Jessie's liaison with doctor Anderson is not a well-kept secret.

"Grandpa Morgan." Rick is too shocked to say more.

"You're not blind." Morgan rolls his eyes at Rick's disbelief, and Rick must admit that his half-brothers do not look like him. "

Small towns aren't a great place to carry a liaison, but Carlton wants to be a fool in love. The idiot almost drove the company to the ground, but he couldn't care as long as his wife was please and living off his father's money. Richard may be disappointed, but Carlton will not be penniless. It goes for Maggie too. You're just the safest choice for the company. Maggie will allow Carlton to force his will on her." Morgan finishes with a conspiring tone.

"He won't let you win this fight. Richard is stubborn. Michonne will walk out of his hospital room ready to marry you, and you won't have much choice. So maybe use this few minutes to work the courage to speak up on your feelings." As if conjured out of Morgan's thoughts, his granddaughter enters the cafeteria through the door, which Rick has been hoping to use an escape.

A glance at Michonne and Rick knows his fate.

"I need to talk to you," Michonne tells him with a dejected tone, and Rick compliantly follows her out of the room.

...

...

...

Michonne leans against a wall, and she is a reflection of Rick's exhaustion. Few strays locks fall from the loose bun, which she attempted to do. Rick mimics her posture, and he leans against the opposite wall. The corridor, which they found to talk, is small and dimly lit. Michonne sighs and she does not know how to start the conversation. She lights the cigarette, which she finally found. Rick shares Michonne's reluctance to speak, and so he stares at her until it becomes uncomfortable for both parties.

"It is a paper…" Michonne starts to speak, and she stops to blow smokes. "A formality." She insists because she expects resistance.

Rick is almost apathetic, and his mind has no left his precedent conversation with Morgan. He stares at Michonne with the hope to find an answer to his question. Does he really have a restrained infatuation for Michonne? The thought is not farfetched. Michonne is gorgeous, and he is not blind. That is a detail, which is hard to disregard. Even under this dim light, her beauty is almost too entrancing to the eyes. The hue of her skin, which glows from within, and the long locks, which frame her visage. Albeit, Rick may desire Michonne, but that is a natural law. He is a man, and she is a beautiful woman.

Michonne waits for an answer, but aside for a few insisting glances, Rick does not show any interest. She assumes that he disagrees with her proposition and Michonne's stress increases. She takes as much as she can from her cigarette. Michonne moves away from her corner, and she closes half of the distance between Rick and her.

"We don't have to live together. You don't have to deal with me. We will return to our lives." Michonne overbids her previous argument with a new suggestion.

Rick continues to be silent, and she is exhausted. After her conversation with Richard senior, Michonne is not in the emotional frame to deal with their distorted dynamic. She almost wants to shake him out of this state. Perhaps, if she tells him what she has come to understand the walls will start to crumble.

"Fabulous." Rick ultimately answers, and he has to distance himself from Michonne.

Morgan has planted a seed in his mind, and he does not like what he may harvest. He does not intend to feed that thought, but Morgan's words have sunken in the deepest crevices of Rick's mind. Looking at Michonne, he almost feels the need to tell her things, which he has yet to think about consciously. The story contains more than what Rick wants to explore.

Michonne draws a deep breath, and Rick's sarcasm coupled to his nonchalance infuriates her. She glares at Rick, and Michonne expects more than a single word. He can't bother to care about their situation enough to have a mature conversation.

"Sincerely fuck you, Richard Grimes junior." She spits in a quiet fury, and Rick stops his exit.

"Some dreams are just out of reach." He answers without missing a bit, and he gratifies her of that disdainful look, which he has twisted to express his anger in the most hurtful manner.

"I can't believe two of the most brilliant men, who I respect and love, think that we will be this super couple." Michonne sighs with exhaustion, and she finishes her cigarette.

"We will be nothing to each other, I guarantee you. When the time comes, I will make sure to send you the divorce paper." Rick makes sure to drive his message across, and it is a rejection of Morgan's claim.

"I will sign them. If that is all, grandpa has the mayor waiting." Michonne says with an unwavering voice, but she wants to claw his arrogance out of his flesh.

Rick passes by her, and she impulsively reacts. Michonne holds Rick's arm until he looks at her. She ignores his glare, and she wills her courage to speak.

"I never told uncle Carlton what happened in the party. You don't have to believe me, but I never told him anything about you and Jessie." Michonne whispers the words because she is unsure how he will react.

Michonne does not dare to brush the core of the problem, and her words don't appease Rick's fury. He is reluctant to let go of his anger, and he needs the anger to overlook most of the horror.

"I remember seeing you." The accusation disappears under his sudden melancholy, and Michonne almost feels as if he is looking at her as he did ten years ago.

The look is empty, and it almost brings Michonne to tears. Why does he expect wisdom from a sixteen-year-old? What does he want her to offer?

"And it made me angry that you will look at me while you were with her," Michonne admits, and when she wants to go deeper with her confession, Rick's hard look warns. She forgoes the explanation and the justification for the truth. "I'm not saying that I didn't say anything. I'm saying that I never shared with uncle Carlton. If this is why you hate me, you're wrong and I'm tired of this." Michonne finishes, and she frees his arm

"Same difference." Unmoved in his belief, Rick answers.

She has yet to give him what he wants, and Rick is unwilling to let go of his shield. Forgiving her offence will mean to let go of a balance, and he can't let go of Michonne.

"Do you want an apology? What is it that you want?" Michonne insists when his stance does not change on the matter.

Rick ignores Michonne's question, and he walks away.

* * *

"I want you to promise that you will do right by her." Richard senior says to Rick a few minutes before his impromptu wedding with Michonne.

Richard drags a necklace out of his collar, and he pulls a wedding band out of it. The rings belonged to Rick's grandmother. The gold on the ring is cheap and mixed with iron. The ring attests of the Grimes modest debut, and it has very little material value. However, the stories behind the ring were Rick's bedtime stories. Richard senior bought the ring after saving his salary for seven years as a farm boy, and he only dares to offer it to his wife after two years. He was too embarrassed by the cheapness of it, but seven years of dedication can't be priced accurately. There are a few lines around the edge, but the ring has been worn for fifty years before ending on his neck. The ring stands as a token of value, which Richard senior wants Rick to uplift.

"I don't know what you want from me, grandpa," Rick answers with a low sneer, which perfectly expresses his annoyance with the situation.

"Growth, maturity, and I want you to be happy. If you continue to act up around Michonne, you won't be happy, and she will leave before you have a chance to happiness. Some regrets are heavier than others to carry." Richard senior answers without missing a bit, and he has thought about the question.

He takes Rick's palm, and he places the ring in the middle. Rick knows the emotional value attached to the small family heirloom. He remembers his grandmother and her carefulness with her wedding band. Rick remembers how it was always put aside when she cooked, but nothing will look as elegant as her hand adorned with her small golden band. Rick refuses to accept the ring, and he does not believe Michonne deserves something so precious.

"I'm giving you what you want," Rick says with frustration, and he tries to return the ring.

"When she needs you, you will be there. No question asked or pride, you will step in if Michonne asks. Promise me you will be good to her." Richard senior insists to have Rick's words because he knows his grandson has honour.

"So much for my happiness," Rick says with bitterness, but he silently agrees to the request.

"Michonne does not need a reminder on how to treat you right. Do you think she wants to marry you so I can accept to be transferred? Life happens, but don't let it pull you by the tail." Richard senior return his late wife wedding to Rick's hand, and he keeps Rick's palm closed around it until his grandson reluctantly agrees to use the family room has Michonne's wedding ring.

"You're already doing the pulling. Hooray, I'm getting married." Rick stands from the bed's spot, which he took, and he waits for Michonne to join him.

…

….

…

It is a small affair and a strange one. The groom and the bride are not the happiest people in the world, and they are not dressed for the occasion. Pyjamas are not the most formal clothes. For a second, life feels like a farce, but it lacks the comical relief. As Morgan leads Michonne down the proverbial aisle or the hospital corridor, her heart no longer knows how to beat. Her purple silk baby doll glows under the wavering led light. Michonne steps are slow, and they match Morgan's encouraging words. She holds on the ring in her hand, and it is Morgan's wedding band. For sixty years, he has worn that ring. Never once, he has removed it. Michonne stares at her grandfather's hand, and the light line on his finger humbles her.

The silver band is warm, and it starts to cool in her hand because of the lack of skin contact. There is a weight on her shoulder, and Michonne's emotions have crawled up to her throat. A childhood dream, which takes nightmarish qualities. Life has a harmful sense of humour. Morgan leaves her side, and Michonne wants to hold at his arm like a frightened child. However, she is a frightened adult, and a façade is what she should put.

They both stand in silence while Mayor Greene says few words, and they are asked if they entered their union on their own volition. The humourless laughs are on the tip of their tongue. Instead, The smile is accompanied by watery eyes on Michonne's face, and Rick shows sign of impatience. Their vows are lost on them, and it is a mechanical repetition. Words without meaning, but the words have not lost their heaviness. Shoulders sink lower, and every breath is harder to take.

Mayor Greene says something about death tearing them apart, but the possibility of someone's death is uniting them. Michonne can't keep still, and Rick does not move. Her hands twitch every second, and she discreetly takes a deep breath. Rick appears to be controlled, and he says his vows without stumbling on any words. He exults a confidence, which warms Michonne. She says her vows and at every word, she falters. There are no flowers, and there is no veil. The room is bare aside from the medical equipment, and the bip of the vital signs' monitoring machine stands for the music.

Michonne's hands are empty without the impressive bouquet, which should lay in them. Therefore, Michonne does not know what to do of her hand, and so she takes Rick's one. Her fingers slide between his sweaty ones, and she presses her palm to his. There is a plea in her eyes, and rejection will be too brutal. He squeezes her hand. Rick's expression continues to be stoic, and Michonne is too expressive. They are such a strange pair with their pyjama.

When she pushes her grandfather's ring on Rick's hand, Michonne's hand trembles, and Rick drops his grandmother ring on the ground. It takes five minutes to retrieve the ring, and they breathe a sigh of relief during those five minutes. For the first time since the ceremony started, Rick and Michonne lock eyes. The moment is brief, but it is also intense. Morgan retrieves the ring, and he puts back in the centre of Rick's palm. The weight, which almost left his shoulder returns. He puts the ring in Michonne's hand, and there is finality to the act. They are required to sign their marriage license.

"You can kiss the bride." The words resonate in the small hospital room, and the newlyweds are frozen.

The kiss is tentative, and he does not know where to put his hand. Rick's lips brush Michonne's one, and she does not know if she should welcome his touch. They are frozen in an awkward embrace. Rick settles on wrapping his arm around her waist, and Michonne circles his neck. Their bodies brush, and there is warmth spreading through them. A deep breath turns into an opening for Rick's tongue. A kiss, which was awkward, turns into a timid kiss, and he lazily probes her mouth. Michonne returns the stroke of his tongue, and Rick's arms start to crush her waist. She has to rise on her toes to match the exigence of Rick's tongue, and passionate curiosity erases the timidity of their kiss.

Although, restraint quenches the passion when the joust of their tongues become to fiery. Rick breaks the kiss, and he puts as much distance as he can between them. Their hands adorn by unmatched wedding bands graze, and they move further away from each other. A paper and a formality, she told him. Michonne knows that she will be wiser to remember it. He hates her, and she has no name for what she feels after their kiss. The night ends with Richard senior putting in a request for a medical transfer.

..

…

…

The early morning knocks startle Michonne, and she barely manages to walk up to her door. When she opens the door, Rick is on the other side. Compare to his physical appearance, a country ravaged by war holds charm. His eyes are bright red and swollen. Rick passes his hand in his tousled hair and Michonne's eyes rest on the silver band, which does not belong on his finger. The golden band on her finger feels cooler. The question sits on the tip of her tongue, but her courage has fled. Rick grabs Michonne's waist, and he drags her out of her room. In a matter of seconds, he crushes her in a tight hug. Rick's hold on her waist is bruising, and he hides his face in the crook of his neck. The hatred, which he feels for her no longer matter. The wrongdoings are forgotten for a second. People only seek comfort where they previously found it.

"Rick?" Her voice trembles and she knows the answer to her question.

Rick's tears drench Michonne shoulder, and his wedding band painfully presses in the small of her back. Michonne's arms tightly circle Rick's neck.

"No…" She refuses the meaning behind his tears and his strange need for her.

"You're lying." She pleads with him, and he only presses her more against him.

"No…" She tries to escape his embrace, and Michonne tries until exhaustion.

Ultimately, Michonne's tears join Rick's one.

No one expects the awful news, but Richard senior's death is abrupt. Those are the words Pete Anderson used, and Rick has the statement engraved in his mind. A painless death during the night, he stopped to breathe, and Rick does not remember the rest of the conversation. He does not remember how he made his way to Michonne's door. Now, he is in her arm, and he has the words on the tip of his tongue. However, he can't say it. Once again, Michonne denies the truth, and he has to say it.

"Grandpa is dead…"


	6. Chapter 6

**Long time overdue, and here is the update. The next chapter shouldn't take an eternity to be updated. It is half ready.**

 **Thanks for the review and the message reminding me to update.**

 **I don't own the walking dead.**

 **Please review.**

* * *

 **Chapter V : A funeral**

* * *

Michonne eventually pulls Rick up to her bed. She can no longer bear Rick's weight on her svelte body. For a few minutes, she held him in her arms, and her tears drenched his shirt. Perhaps, Rick led Michonne to her bed. She remembers liquefying in his arms. Michonne became nothing but tears. Michonne doesn't remember how Rick Grimes ended in her bed.

Once he shared the news of Richard Senior's demise, releasing her grip of Rick became impossible. The sun hasn't risen, and Rick's weight pines Michonne to the bed. His arms crush her waist, and Michonne doesn't dare to move. She can't decide if Rick is sleeping or his sobs are now silent.

The only thing, which Michonne can attest for, is that Rick's hold on her is as strong as her hold on him.

She buries her nose in Rick's neck. Her hand forms a fist around his shirt. Michonne's tears have dried along the curvature of Rick's neck, and her remaining hand tangles his hair. Her wedding ring disappears in his curls. Rick stirs, and his knuckles graze Michonne's thigh. She feels his wedding band pressed in her back.

"What time is it?" When he ceases to pretend that the world dies at Michonne's door, Rick asks the time.

"I don't know, but we have to go out of this room." Michonne retorts.

Rick and Michonne's interludes seem like an eternity.

She shifts a bit to accommodate Rick, and her leg between his legs has become numb. Michonne winces. and Rick slightly moves.

"Sorry" Rick whispers, and his voice is hoarse, which answers Michonne's last question.

Rick's words surprise Michonne. She didn't expect an apology, but Rick has many reasons to apologize. Richard Senior's death might have brought many remorses in the forefront of his mind.

"About what?" Michonne inquires to confirm what she suspects

"About this," Rick replies, and he points at the present arrangement.

Nonetheless, he does nothing to change it. Rick's body continues to cover Michonne's one like a blanket. He firmly holds her waist, and his knuckles run along her right thigh. Her dreadlocks tingle the tip of Rick's nose. Everything practically feels right.

"One day, you will get your priority straight, Richard Grimes junior." Michonne sighs and she moves out of his embrace.

She rolls out of the bed, and she searches for her purse. Rick watches Michonne from the corner of his eyes. The sun fills the room and flirts with Michonne's skin. She beautifully glows with a golden halo, and Rick wants nothing but to bask in Michonne's warmth. The ugliness of the outside world doesn't dare to cross her door. He knows that he is vulnerable, and there lies the reason why he suddenly indulges his suppressed emotions.

"Maybe." Rick non-committedly answers, and he looks away from Michonne.

The moment feels surrealist, and Rick doesn't know what emotions to express. Michonne finds her purse, and she drags a cigarette out the box. She walks to the window, and the hot Georgian breeze welcomes Michonne.

"He wanted...He..." Michonne doesn't know how to end her sentence.

Her throat tightens, and the tears start to pool in the corner of Michonne's eyes. Michonne presses her thumbs against her eyelids, and she draws as much smoke as she can from her cigarette.

"I need a shower…" Rick says as he rises from Michonne's bed, but he doesn't leave the room.

Rick isn't ready to take on the responsibilities, which Carlton won't assume. Everything is so quiet in Michonne's room. When Rick's world crumbled, he came to seek the quietness. Michonne throws the residue of her cigarette, and she turns to face Rick. She leans against the frame of her window, and she stares at Rick's profile.

"Someone needs to check on Grandpa Morgan and Maggie. Someone needs to...I need a shower too." Michonne doesn't know where she is supposed to start, and she glances at Rick.

He has regained control of his emotions, and what happened between them was a fluke. Michonne walks away from the window, and she grabs her towel.

"Someone needs to check on you." Rick sits back on Michonne's bed, and he wears his shoes.

"You don't have to do that." Michonne states and she knows that he isn't eager to accomplish that task.

"I promised Grandpa that I…" Rick doesn't conclude his statement.

He promised Richard Senior to be a decent husband. He promised to care for Michonne, and Rick doesn't know where to start. He doesn't know how to feel about her aside from the fact that he needs her for emotional sanity.

"Check on grandpa…" Michonne says as Rick stands purposeless in the middle of her room.

* * *

When he sees her waiting at his door, Rick sighs. He doesn't have the patience for Jessie's shenanigans. However, she doesn't intend to allow him to avoid her. Jessie questioningly glares at Rick while he walks away from Michonne's door.

"Rick, can I talk to you?" Jessie demands as she moves away from Rick's room.

Rick attempts to bypass her, but she grabs his hand. He sighs and doesn't engage Jessie verbally. Perhaps, she will regain her dignity and stop harassing her. Although, Rick's hope for a quiet resolution doesn't survive Jessie's audacity.

" If you want me to be, I'm here for you," Jessie quietly says, and she lays her hands flat on Rick's chest.

For a second, Rick strives to understand what Jessie's suggestion means. When one of Jessie's hand slides under his shirt while her other hand starts to unbutton his shirt, Rick has a clear picture of her intents.

"Don't you have a husband to console?" Rick spits the words with as much venom as he can.

He quickly grabs Jessie's hands, and he shoves her out of his way. Rick glances at Jessie, and His anger rises. What is wrong with this woman? Rick doesn't know how to explain her sociopathic behaviours.

"Were you searching for consolation in her room?" Jessie furiously grabs Rick's shirt, and she stops him from entering his room.

The laugh, which hangs on Rick's lips, is sarcastic. He doesn't know how he moved to the twilight zone. Rick stares at Jessie, and he questions his sanity. Rick must have misheard what she said.

"Were you a clown in your last life?" Rick responds, and again he shoves her away from his door.

"Rick" Jessie shouts, and she forgets about her husband roaming the floors of the ranch.

"I need a shower..." Rick answers, and he endeavours to close his door.

Unfortunately, Jessie quickly creeps into his room. Rick draws a deep breath, and he pulls so hard on his leather bracelet. He almost breaks the leather band.

"I'm right that you spent the night with her. If you were so desperate for comfort, I remember what you like in bed, Rick." Jessie attempts to hold Rick, and it is Rick's breaking point.

Rick grabs Jessie's arm, and he drags her toward the door. Jessie attempts to resist, but Rick is sterner than she expected him to be.

"You misunderstood my words ten years ago. I'm never touching you in this lifetime or any life for that matter. If you will excuse me, I need a shower." Rick hisses in Jessie's face, and he throws her out of his room.

" For future references, what I do with my wife or around my wife is none of your business." He finishes while he slams the door at Jessie's face.

Rick instinctively said the words, but he needed to rub it in Jessie's face. He wanted to prove to Jessie's how far of her influence he was.

"Wife?" Jessie speaks to a closed door, but after a glimpse of Rick's silver wedding band, she needs an explanation.

She starts to bang on Rick's door, and she needs a response. Jessie can't lose Rick so close to her goal. Carlton is about to inherit Richard senior's fortune, and she will take everything once she divorce. Once she is in control of the Grimes fortune, Jessie will be able to be with the man, who she adores. She can't lose Rick. He must be lying, and she knows that he loves her.

"Rick, what do you mean?" She insists on demanding an answer from a closed door.

* * *

Two days have passed since Richard Senior's death, and the melancholy saturates the air of the Grimes' ranch. Today, everything feels ten times worst. The rain crashes against the windows, and the outside noise amplifies the silence inside. The weather matches everyone's mood. In less than two hours, Richard senior will be laid to the ground.

Rick slides in his suit's jacket, and he sits in the corner of his grandfather's office while Morgan searches through the cupboards.

"Richard was very proud of you." Morgan's words draw Rick's attention.

Rick doesn't reply. He doesn't believe Morgan, but he is grateful for his grandpa's effort to soothe his pain. Carlton must have told Richard senior the reason why Rick left the ranch. He must have knitted a great tale of lies. Rick regrets not reaching out to Richard Senior.

"This last ten years, he tried to have you back home. He wanted to fix what happened that Christmas morning. None of us really knew, and Carlton never said anything. Although, I doubt Richard would have believed him over you. He felt guilty for not convincing you to come home, but you're stubborn. Now, look at you. You don't need his money, and you made your own." Morgan insists, and he understands the scepticism on Rick's quiet expression.

Morgan must share Richard Senior's regrets, and then his friend will leave the earth with a light heart. Rick was Richard Senior's biggest source of worries, and how well Rick did on his own didn't matter. As a family man, Richard senior carried the guilt of Rick's exile.

"It no longer matters." Rick brushes away Morgan's kind words.

He doesn't want to reflect on those ten years. Rick doesn't want to admit that his pride kept him away from his grandfather. His anger and resentment against Carlton blinded him. He wanted to prove a point. Rick wanted to prove that he was better than the man, who could accuse him of such baseness. Everyone else was collateral. They were victims of Rick's poorly aimed anger. The distance, which he kept from everyone, was an immature way to channel his anger. He couldn't breathe in this ranch. He couldn't allow that night to haunt him. Rick couldn't reconcile everything he felt toward Michonne. Coming back meant to face everything.

"Does it? In the end, Richard gave you what he thought you needed the most to be happy. You know how much he loved you and Michonne, but Michonne was his favourite. In the strange way that you're my favourite. Richard believed you were the only man good enough for his precious Michonne." Morgan finishes, and he pulls a little envelope from a cupboard.

"Grandpa always had ludicrous ideas. Obviously, Michonne and I will divorce as soon as we can." Rick counterclaims and those words are harder to say than he expected.

However, he needs to return to normalcy. He wants to return to his New York apartment and his company. He needs those pointless nights spent drinking beers with Shane. He doesn't need to question the reason why he has that pervasive hate for Michonne. He doesn't want to sit on her bed while she smokes at the window. He doesn't want to find her beautiful. He wants his normalcy back.

"The fact remains that Richard was proud of you. He knew that you were a good young man. You have done well for yourself. You should start to see it too." Morgan magically isolates the heart of the issue.

Rick stubbornly decides to disregard those words. He passes Morgan his suit jacket, and he leaves his spot in the corner of Richard senior's office. Rick glances at his watch, and the time has come to say the last adieu to his grandpa.

"We have to head to the church." Rick quietly says, and he doesn't know how long he will retain his emotional detachment to the situation.

He can't crumble. Crumbling means to seek Michonne. Fate has a twisted humour. No one can calm him as easily as she does, but she is also the catalyst of his grudges. He needs to return to his life.

"Thank you for handling everything," Morgan says, and he stares at the letter, which Richard Senior addressed to Rick.

Morgan didn't think that he would have to hand it so soon. He assumed that he would have a few more months. Morgan sighs, and he looked at Rick. Rick has a lot of growth to do, but Richard was rarely wrong. No other man could be greater for Morgan's granddaughter.

"Someone had to step in." Rick bitterly replied, and he refused to allow Carlton to make him lose control.

Rick can't reconcile what his father did this last two days to the man, who once had his respect. This Carlton was the man, who threw him out of the house. Rick sighed, and he sought to focus on what mattered.

"Yeah, I heard the legal part preoccupied Carlton." Morgan shares Rick's bitterness.

"Tonight, he arranged for grandpa's solicitors to come to testify the validity of his will." Rick supplied as an answer.

Carlton was eager to collect his father's wealth, and burying Richard senior wasn't a matter of interest to him. Carlton wanted to make sure that nothing stood between the Grimes consortium and him.

"We will cross that bridge when we reach it. Go check on Michonne." Morgan confidently says.

" When you are ready to see yourself in the light that Richard saw you, you should read this." He places the letter in Rick's hand, and he encouragingly taps on Rick's back.

….

….

…...

Rick hears multiple voices outside of Michonne's room, and he hesitates. He hasn't face her after he spent hours sobbing in her arms. The liberties, which he took with Michonne that night, are liberties that he takes with no one. He hates showing emotions, and facing Michonne suffice to make his hard walls crumble. Somehow, the fragility, which he expressed around her, fuels his anger with her.

"Can I come in?" Rick draws a deep breath while he knocks at Michonne's door.

He hears steps, which he assumes belong to her. His heart misses a beat, and Rick chastises his mind. Time has passed, and ten years is a lot of time. A single moment can't change everything, and the frustrations haven't magically disappeared. The grudges are stronger than they were before, and Rick wants to fight harder what he once felt with what he presently feels.

"Rick..." When the door doesn't open on Michonne, Rick is disappointed.

Although, he Is relieved because he has time to sort through his emotional state.

"Hi, Sasha," Rick returns with a polite smile while he faces Michonne's cousin.

"I'm so sorry. Grandpa Richard was such an amazing man." Sasha says while she allows him inside Michonne's room.

Rick instinctively looks for Michonne, and she is not where he can see her. He is frustrated, but he is also relieved. Rick is not in control of his emotions, and he hates it. As a result, he hates her more for making him feel this way. Hatred is safe as much as Michonne's arms can be.

"He was…" Rick absentmindedly agrees with Sasha, and he doesn't resist when she drags him into a hug.

Rick has lost count of the number of people who have hugged him after telling him how amazing Richard senior is. He has started to go with the motions. He wants the day to end, and he wants to return to his life.

"Hmmm, I don't want to interrupt." Michonne's voice abruptly drags Rick out of his lethargy.

She glares at him in a way so familiar. Ten years changes everything and nothing. Michonne looks between Rick and Sasha. She almost regresses to the time where she was envious of her older cousin because Rick acknowledged her. Michonne takes a deep breath, and she chastises herself. She no longer has a crush for Rick Grimes. Michonne needs to believe it before he causes more damage that he has already done.

"Oh look who is here. Baby Richard." The warmth of the voice diffused the tension in the room, and Sasha chuckles at how embarrassed Rick is at the nickname.

"Aunt Michelle. You came." Rick asks Michonne's mother, and once he is over the surprise, he hugs Michelle Jones.

Rick can't remember the last time when he saw Morgan's daughter in law and Michonne's mother. He must have been a few months after the death of Michonne's father. It was twenty years ago. It had been so hard on Morgan, Michonne, but for Michelle, it was worst.

A depression followed, and it was the first time Michonne came to spend a holiday in king county. Rick remembers how she would hide behind Morgan, and Michonne would only speak to Rick. Michelle never came to pick back Michonne instead Michonne started to spend her holiday in Rouen a small city in France, Michelle's home country.

"You know how much I love your grandfather, and I needed to be here for your wife. She adored Richard senior." Michelle answers and she suddenly reminds Rick that Michonne is no longer eight and selectively mute.

Now, the tables have turned. He is the one silently grieving with selective mutism. He only feels like talking to Michonne although his anger might corrupt what he wants to say. Rick escapes Michelle's hug, and he looks at Michonne. She is looking at everything but him, and he hates it. He always hated it when he wasn't the centre of her attention. She has spoiled him, and ten years later, he hasn't lost that neediness. Therefore, he stares at her to the point of discomfort. Michonne has to stare back, and now, he punishes her for giving him the attention, which he wanted. Rick's eyes contain accusations, and Michonne strangely allows Rick to pull her in that intricate emotional exchange. It is a vicious circle, and it rests on defence mechanisms.

"You're married. The last time when I met you, you forget to mention that. Congratulations! Who is the lucky lady?" Sasha breaks the spell although Rick continues to stare a Michonne, which makes the answer obvious.

There is too much passion in that look to mean anything but two possible emotions. Rick can't tell which one he expresses at a time. Those emotions are so tangled and interchangeable with the situation.

"That would be me," Michonne speaks to take away some of the tension.

"Rick and Michonne," Sasha says with a hint of surprise

"Took longer than we expected …," Michelle adds, and Sasha agrees.

Rick has no interest in the exchange, and Michonne works harder to avoid his look. She doesn't want to subject her sanity to his exigencies.

"Almost forgot how much she was in love with him." Sasha reflects, and Michonne sighs.

"I was young… It's different now." She attempts to change the topic, and she mistakenly makes eye contact with Rick, "I don't think it is the appropriate time to talk about this." She adds for his benefit because he directs at her murderous glances.

She will never understand the man. Michonne doesn't know why she plays into his hand every time.

"Can we have a minute?" Rick finally divides his attention, and it is to require privacy with Michonne.

* * *

Rick stares at Michonne while she places an excessive effort to ignore him. She packs anything, which she can put in her purse. It goes for a minute until Rick decides to stand in her way. Rick forces Michonne to stop, and he tilts her head so he can look at her. Her eyes are red, and the tears threaten to fall. Some things never change. When it comes to expressing her emotions, Michonne is worse than Rick can be.

Rick remembers how quiet she became after her father's death. When Michelle left, she became so timid. Nothing changed in this situation. Morgan purposely sent Rick to check on Michonne. Around him, she can't prevent how raw her emotions become.

"Are you okay?" Rick asks, and Michonne dodges a caress of his knuckles.

"Can you keep this with you?" She shoves a box of cigarette in Rick's hand, and she averts her eyes from Rick's ones, "I don't have space for it in my purse, nor do I have pockets." She finishes speaking, and she walks away from Rick.

"You didn't answer my question." Rick insists, and he pushes her box of cigarette down his pocket.

"Mom asked me the same question. Sasha asked me the same question. I have already answered it. What makes you think that the answer will be different because you asked?" She questions him with growing frustration.

Rick cocks an eyebrow, and he is ready to take on her challenge. He is as eager for a fight as she is, but he is also exhausted. Rick grabs Michonne's arm, and he carefully pulls her into him. They can postpone the fight. The peace is transient, and their mutual loathing will resurface when they can survive the pain alone.

"Michonne, how are you doing?" Rick looks into Michonne's eyes, and all her efforts to contain her emotions become pointless.

Two days, she has kept a dignified figure for two days. She has comforted her grandfather and Maggie. She has offered soothing words to Carlton. Not once, she felt as emotionally bare as Rick's question made her feel. Why would he do this to her?

"Give me a minute. I will be fine." Michonne replies as she shoves Rick away from her, and she furiously wipes her tears.

Rick watches Michonne find refuge in her bathroom. He hears the object fall, and the cupboard doors open and close. He tells himself that he has his pain to nurture. Rick doesn't care for Michonne, or so he repeats to himself. Although, he made a promise. Rick sighs and he pushes open the bathroom door.

"We have to go …" Rick starts to speak, but he stops after a glance at Michonne.

Once to honour the promise that he made to Richard Senior. Once and he will leave her to deal with her problems as every other adult must do. Michonne is no longer a child, who Rick feels compelled to protect. Michonne is no longer a teenager, who he dutiful protects from everyone and mostly himself.

Rick shakes his head, and he questions his sanity. He puts his suit jacket on the hook at the door, and he enters the bathtub, which Michonne has turned in the ideal place to have a breakdown. Rick raises Michonne's legs, and he puts her legs on each side of him.

He watches Michonne blow the smoke from her cigarette, and she keeps her head tilted so her mascara-stained tears don't fall on her face. She is insane, and he must be beyond insanity for caring about her. Rick pulls the cigarette away from her lips, and he throws it in the bidet. He wipes her tears with his thumbs.

"Thank you. It took an hour to apply my make up, and you had to ask that stupid question. I hate you so much for the way you treat me. For what you can do to me." Michonne pushes the hand, which wipes her tears away, and she reaches behind her to grab a tumbler filled with what Rick identifies as vodka.

"Look, this is what you know how to do." She points at her cheeks stained by her new tears, and Rick wonders what keeps him glued to the bottom of that bathtub. "Do you ever tire of making me miserable for every reason that entertains your mind? You spent two days avoiding your wife, and you come to make me cry. It is an art, Rick Grimes." She finishes her tirade with a sigh of frustration, and she elevates her head again to fight gravity.

Rick attempts to take the glass in her hand, but Michonne moves it away. The bourbon spills on her fingers and pools on the bathroom tiles.

"Do you want a sip?" Michonne sarcastically asks when Rick successfully takes away her glass.

"Shhhh," Rick replies while he takes her arm, and he drags Michonne's body on top of his.

Once and he will go back to his normalcy. He will forget that she exists. Michonne buries her face in the crook of Rick's neck, and it is convenient that Rick wears a black dressed shirt. Tears wet his skin, and sobs shake Michonne's body. Things can't completely change. Rick allows Michonne to cry on his shoulder, but he forbids himself to touch her. He has to protect his emotions, and he can't forget their past.

"How long will the period of grace last?" Michonne asks well aware that they will return to their state of conflict.

There is safety to familiar emotions. Anger is a coping mechanism and an easy way to remain in control. Rick clings on control, and Michonne is too much of a wild card in his life. He can't help but fight her.

"Your minute is over," Rick responds with action as he drags her out the bathtub, and he walks away from her.

* * *

The rain is heavy, and the dust has become mud. When she notices the tremors, Michonne places her hand below Rick's one to keep the Bible, which he holds from falling.

"Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." He reads the last line of the psalm, and Rick is not someone, who seeks religious comfort.

However, he wants to believe those words. Rick doesn't see his grandpa somewhere else than heaven. He needs the comfort of that thought. Michonne's hand is warm although the falling rain drags the weather toward the colder end. Her fingers slowly slide between his, and Rick reaches for strength into her steadiness.

Although, their dynamic changes when Morgan goes on the stand to read the eulogy. Michonne crushes Rick's hand, but it keeps him grounded at the moment.

"I have known Richard longer than most people can claim to know anyone. When we met, we were young boys going into a war. A world war, he had so many dreams, and he was scared never to accomplish them. I called each of those dreams a ludicrous idea. Morgan, use your heart not your brain, or you will forever remain blind to the world." Morgan takes a deep breath as memories of a different time dance behind his closed eyelids.

Michonne and Rick can tell this story better than anyone can. They have heard all their lives how the dynamic duo came to be.

"I'm here…Right here." Michonne whispers in Rick's ear while she presses her nose to his neck for a reminder that she can find a source of comfort in him.

"At that time, the world was ugly, and he wanted me to see the world. We weren't home but in France. He would always say. We are saving the world. I could care less, but Richard saw the world with his heart. It means he saw how vibrant everything could be, and everyone around him needed to see it that way. I had no choice, and he dragged me into every dream that he had. Once, he told me, Morgan, I need your twenty thousand or we can't be partners. I was a twenty-five-year-old black man during segregation. Where did he want me to find twenty thousand dollars? He wasn't better financially." Morgan stops to laugh, and the small crowd joins him.

The man, who Morgan's words bring to life, is the man, who everyone will miss. Richard Senior always possessed a strange optimism. Rick looks at Michonne, and he glances at the ring on his finger. For a second, he wants to continue the tradition of turning Richard senior's ludicrous dream into impressive reality. If he could only erase that New Year eve, he would see her as he always did.

"It took ten years for him and fifteen for me, but we had forty thousand dollars. I finally asked him why we were collaborating, and he told me that he didn't know yet. It is safe to say our friendship almost didn't survive, but he had another ludicrous idea. He was a farm boy, and he knew a lot about vegetables and fruits. Canned Georgia peach. Grimes and Morgan. My memories of Richard are a succession of ludicrous ideas, which all became true. , It is a lifetime, but I know that he is happy to join his beloved Judith. He was starting to miss her. I will miss him more than I can express. Richard Grimes senior was an amazing man, and I don't have to say anything to prove it. He did a good job convincing all of you of that fact. It is with a heavy heart that I regretfully say an early goodbye to my best friend." Morgan finishes, and his words echo with everyone in attendance.

Richard senior is lowered to the ground. Michonne's body melts into Rick's one. She endlessly tells him that she is by his side, and he can't forget that crucial detail. Eventually, Rick gives into his distress. He rests his chin on the crowd of Michonne's head. The tears roll from his cheek to her dreadlocks. When everyone leaves the grave, Rick and Michonne remain. The rain swallows the sound of Michonne's sobs.

"I will give you a minute," Michonne says before Rick can ask.

She simply senses through his posture that her presence becomes a cause of restraint to Rick. Michonne steps out of the umbrella, and fat drops of rain hit her blazer. Water infiltrates her hair, and Rick holds her hand. He isn't ready to let her go.

Rick looks at Michonne, and he doesn't know how to explain their predicament. He doesn't know why he has to blame her for everything.

He stares at Michonne's eyes as he did during Christmas Eve. For a second, he looks at the world with his heart.

Ethereal and socked in water, the world looks beautiful. Her hand is still warm, and it is hard to let go of her. Although, the old grudges resist t and can't evaporate. Many fears creep to the surface. It is an admission that one night, she stopped looking at him as the man, who he strived to be. Rick was no longer the man in those brown bright eyes. He was the man, who slept with his stepmother. A man, who could never have Michonne.

The night was traumatic, but he has little memory of his rape. What Rick remembers is Michonne. He remembers the horror in her eyes. He remembers the subtle detail in the shade of her iris. He always saw gold layers through the brown, but that night, Michonne's eyes were onyx. Behind the tears, the hatred was vicious and burning through everything, which she ever thought he was. When he looks at Michonne, the insecurities resurface. The hatred in her eyes seems to haunt him. Therefore, he echoes her emotions.

He doesn't know how to be anything but the man who she thinks that he is. Rick frees Michonne's hand. He hates her because she hated him for a second during the moment where he admitted to himself that when he looked at the world with his heart, Rick only saw Michonne.

"Here… we can't have America sweetheart catching death." Rick placed the umbrella over Michonne's head, and he dismisses her.

"I'm sorry, grandpa. You picked the wrong one for your precious Michonne." Rick rolls his wedding band, and he watches his wife walk away.

He draws a deep breath although he is drowning. Rick simply needs to confess. Ten years is too long to battle his conflicted feelings. There are many things that he projects or distorts to preserve his sanity.

"I don't know who hates me the most, her or I. I assume she deep down knows how she makes me feel. She knows how guilty I feel for not matching her expectations. I hate being the man, who she wanted. I hate holding on the idea that she could have talked to me. She could have given me a chance to explain. I hate knowing that I wanted a chance to explain to Michonne that I could care less about Jessie. Although, I didn't want her to know that I felt like less than a man." Rick hesitates, and he doesn't want to revisit that night.

He doesn't want the feeling of being powerless clinging at him. He can't stand his position of a victim. Rick can't stand to be out of control. Since New Year eve, Rick has strived for control, and it makes him feel safe.

"I wanted a chance to apologize or to do whatever could have taken Michonne's pain away. She ran straight to Carlton, and she chose to trust him over me. I could care less about Carlton's opinion of me, but Michonne's opinion matters. I hate myself for feeling that way. More than everything, I hate that she could decide that I wasn't the man, who she thought I was. I hate her for always being out of my reach." He breathes to alleviate the ache of his burning lungs.

"It doesn't matter. Now, I can't look at her without anger. I can't look at her without feeling powerless. I can't look at her without feeling beneath her. I can't look at her without wanting her." The experience is cathartic, and those words are beyond the crevices of his mind, which Rick dared to expose.

Richard senior's death, the morning in Michonne's arms, and Morgan's speech brought to the surface everything Rick tried to suppress. Rick confesses what he will deny in any other circumstances.

"I hate that she can do that to me. I hate her for ruining the life, which I wanted. A life with her. She ruined my life, and she ruined me. I want so bad to ruin her life, and I could do it because you dropped her in my arms. I wouldn't have to try because she will let me do it, and I will hate myself even more. Michonne will hate me too. I hate her." Rick finishes, and he doesn't know what makes his body heavier, the layers of water saturating his clothing or the truth, which ingrained themselves to his mind.

"She ruined my life, and so I will wisely get a divorce."


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for reviewing and reading. The following chapter should come at the same speed.**

 **I don't own the walking dead**

 **Please review**

* * *

 **Chapter VI: A WILL but no way**

* * *

Michonne's palms are sweaty, and the stress of the day starts to settle. She looks around the room, and everyone is in the middle of a conversation. Michonne's mother has left her side for a few minutes to greet the people, who she hasn't seen in years. Therefore, Michonne doesn't know what to do of herself. She feels a pair of insisting eyes following her around the room.

The tension coils around her shoulders and she raises her head to alleviate the stiffness. Her eyes meet Rick's stern look. She doesn't bother to interpret his irises' change of colour, and she sarcastically raises her vodka glass in his direction. Rick glances at her once more, and he rejoins his conversation with Morgan.

Michonne is about to walk up to the pair, but Sasha abruptly grabs her forearm to stop her. She looks at Sasha, and her cousin's visage carries an alarmed expression. Michonne takes a large sip of her vodka before she has to hear about the latest catastrophe. Sasha disapprovingly stares at Michonne's half-empty tumbler. Michonne rolls her eyes, and with a sarcastic smile, she offers her tumbler to Sasha. Everyone wants to kill her buzz.

"Philip is here," Sasha whispers in Michonne's ear, and Michonne's eyes follow her forefinger toward the spot where Philip stands, "he doesn't seem to know that you're married." Sasha finishes with an accusation in her voice.

Michonne deeply inhales, and she glances at Philip. Her anger abruptly surfaces, and she doesn't return the smile, which he directs at her. He must think her last outburst was a caprice, and she will fall back in line. He wouldn't have been wrong in the past, but a lot has changed in the five days, which Michonne spent in King County. Michonne glances at Rick, and her heartbeat plummets.

"What is going on Michonne?" Sasha questions and Michonne's anguish is obvious.

"I will talk to Philip," Michonne replies while she starts to head toward Philip.

Sasha grabs her arm, and she discreetly drags Michonne away from the crowd and Philip. She is letting happen on her watch. Sasha can't allow that vicious cycle to prosper, and she has tried much time to get Michonne's out of Philip's thumb. Although, her younger cousin appears to be blind to the manipulative side of her boyfriend.

"Don't be stupid…" Sasha spits the word with slight anger, and she holds Michonne in place, "Don't ruin your chance to something good because of that piece of shit. Rick is a good man." She continues with a quieter tone and sincere concerns.

"You would know..." Michonne angrily points out, and she isn't over the even in her room.

The familiarity between Sasha and Rick continues to disturb her. She assumes that they kept in contact while he cut out of his life everyone else.

"I didn't know you kept contact with him." She says with a voice filled with angry accusations.

"New York is smaller than you think." Sasha doesn't allow Michonne's anger to influence her intention, "I have met him once or twice this year. The guy, who I started seeing three months ago, is Rick's best friend." She explains to placate Michonne because a frustrated Michonne will act in spite "if you didn't choose to stick to Philip's crowd, you will have met him too." Sasha ends her explanation, and Michonne has the decency to be embarrassed.

"Not, now," Michonne warns, and she doesn't want to ear an umteenth lecture about her relationship with Philip.

"I don't know how Rick and you became a thing, but I will rather you hold on to him than you return to a messy life with Philip. There is no proper time for that advice." Sasha disregards Michonne's warning.

A small smile appears on Michonne's lip, and she envies Sasha's naivety. The spectrum of emotion, which Philip makes Michonne doesn't hold a candle to half of the emotional rollercoaster, which Rick makes her go through.

"I will handle Philip," Michonne says with confidence, and she pulls her arm out of Sasha's grip.

* * *

Rick's eyes move frantically around the room until he notices her speaking with Sasha. Rick absentmindedly agrees with Morgan, and he continues to stare at Michonne. Morgan shakes his head, and he stops talking. There is no point trying to have a conversation when Rick sole focus is ignoring him.

"You can be an adult and go talk to her," Morgan advises, and a confused Rick stares back at him.

"I don't know who the biggest victim of your pride is. It can't be that hard to compromise. Staring at her won't magically animate her legs." He continues with a paternal tone, and Rick feels like a little boy, who his immature actions portray him to be.

"It isn't what you think, grandpa…I." Rick stops mid-sentence and proves Morgan's point.

Morgan follows Rick's intense stares, and his smile disappears. He sighs and wonders what will suffice to open his granddaughter's eye about the man by his side. Philip Blake shouldn't be in his late best friend ranch. Richard Senior hated the man and how he influenced his granddaughter.

"Her boyfriend or ex. You never know with this two." Morgan informs Rick, who hasn't averted his eyes from Michonne and the man holding her arm.

His mind has decided to induce a succession of chemical attacks. Between his palpitating heart and his short breath, the adrenaline is trying to drive Rick to a heart attack. Morgan's words enhance the feeling of distress. With a need of control, the possessiveness comes in association. For a second, Rick only sees Michonne with another man. His Michonne, his wife, and a man, who he does not know. He stands too close to his wife. He breathes to close to his wife. He is leaving the room with his wife.

"Who?" Rick miraculously steps out of his thought, and he tries to pretend.

Morgan rolls his eyes. Surely, no one told Rick that you don't teach a trick to an old monkey. With his entire visage displaying the most primal emotions, he can't have the audacity to deny his jealousy. Rick's posture is the posture of someone trying to display dominance.

"It is obvious where you're looking at, and you haven't replied to my two last questions." Morgan humours Rick, and he follows Rick's eyes to Michonne making an exit with Philip.

Rick attempts to fight his impulses, and he tells himself that he has no right to react disproportionately to the situation. Michonne is not his, and he intends to keep it that way. However, he can't help the motion of his eyes, and Rick delicately follows every of Michonne's step out of the room. When Philip places his arm around Michonne's waist and drags her body to his, Rick's control evaporates. He draws futile deep breaths, and he tells himself to remember his place.

"Give me a minute, grandpa" Rick hears himself say, and his body is already in motion.

He follows Michonne and Philip without conscious thought. He will be damned if another man takes liberties with Michonne while he stands in the same venue. Rick's usual self-awareness disappears under a layer of irrational possessiveness. Until the ink dries on the divorce papers, she is his wife. She is his Michonne. The thoughts are hypocritical and selfish after what he said on Richard Senior's grave, but he can't prevent them from fueling his emotions.

"Take the necessary time to sort it out, Rick." Morgan knowingly says, and he has the impression that Rick is about to behave as he did when he was six and declared that Michonne was his.

Morgan had to have a two hours conversation with a stubborn six years old. Only a promise that he could watch over Michonne and the solid proof that Michelle wasn't taking a one-year Michonne away had convinced Rick. Now, Morgan looked a Rick marching toward Michonne and Philip, and he wonders how different everything was.

"Rick?" Jessie calls as Rick bypasses her without a glance.

* * *

He only has eyes for Michonne, and Rick doesn't notice the echoing step behind him. He almost reaches the exit, which Michonne uses, but Jessie grabs him. Rick furiously turns, and he has lost all patience.

"What the fuck do you truly want?" Rick pushes Jessie's hand away from his arm.

In Jessie's drunk state, it doesn't take much to lose her balance. She, fortunately, prevents a fall by reaching for the walls. She has been excessively drinking today, and Rick and Michonne public display has been the incentive. Since he broke the news to her, Jessie can only think about Rick's marriage.

"Rick?" Jessie asks with shock distorting the sound of her voice.

She doesn't understand his aggressiveness, and her narcissism will not allow her to understand her wrongs. She has a plan, and he should be thankful that she chose him instead of Carlton or Pete.

"I don't care, Jessica." Rick throws by his shoulder as he keeps his thought on what Michonne could be doing with her boyfriend.

"Don't act as if you're completely over us." She shouts with no care of who could hear her.

Jessie no longer feels the need to pretend. Carlton and she will soon become ancient history. She can't believe all the years, which she spent with that old man. After her many sacrifices, Rick can't destroy it all.

Rick abruptly alt his steps and her words push him beyond a point of fury. He glances at his 'snap out it' bracelet and he wonders if it is worth keeping his countenance around someone like Jessie. He had ten years of relative peace. Ten years without her obsessive attachment to him and she is about to plunge him back to the same hell, which followed their break up. Before Christmas Eve, Jessie would harass him day and night.

"Do you think ten years wasn't enough to forget you? Do you think the poor romance, which we share while we were horny college student was my greatest love story? You mean nothing to me, Jessica. Leave me the fuck alone or I'm getting a restraining order." Rick holds on his anger, and it is his grand father's funeral.

"You don't have to pretend. I know that I messed up, and you don't want to share with your father. I promised Carlton and me, are not doing so good." Jessie disregards every word, which Rick said.

She reaches for him, and Rick avoids her gripping hand. He considers calling his father, but Carlton's pride won't allow him to perceive the situation under the appropriate light. Rick doesn't want to anyone accusing him of taking advantage of a drunk woman.

"I don't care how bad things are between you and my father. I don't care for you, Jessica. I'm trying to avoid a scene. It is a funeral."

* * *

Rick doesn't know what infuriates him their proximity or the jealousy, which results from it. He tells himself to walk away, and Michonne is not his. Although, every step, which he takes, brings him closer to where she stands with Philip. As he approaches the pair, Rick hears the bit of a heated conversation.

Michonne's body language contradicts the thoughts, which drew Rick's out of the Ranch. Philip and Michonne aren't about to engage in anything able to crush Rick's heart. Although, the knowledge doesn't subdue his jealousy. Philip is still standing to close, and his grip on Michonne's arm is questionable. Rick hardly appreciates the way, which Philip towers over Michonne. Everything indicates a power struggle. No one aside of Rick has a right to put Michonne in a submissive position.

"Is everything okay?" Rick makes his presence known, and he glares at Philip's hand around Michonne's arm.

"Everything is fine." Philip dismisses Rick without a glance, while the annoyance in his voice confirms that he is having the most charming conversation with Michonne.

Michonne glances between Rick and Philip. She escapes Philip's hold thanks to the distraction created by Rick's arrival. She steps closer to Rick, and she wants the conversation between Philip and her to end. She has said all she had to say the night when Richard Senior was rushed to the emergency.

"I specifically directed the question to my wife," Rick replies with a chilling tone, and he closes the distance between Michonne and him.

"Your wife?" Philip asks in shock, and he stares at Michonne expecting a denial.

"Philip, meet my husband, Rick Grimes." Michonne confidently says, and it hopes it is a deterrent to Philip.

Philip doesn't show much reaction to discovering that Michonne is married. The name of her husband is what concerns Philip. Rick Grimes as the infamous top 20 of Forbes list youngest rich bachelor. The Rick Grimes, with a colossal empire. He never thought a man of that calibre would be in his orbit. Rick Grimes can't open doors for him. Philip will pimp Michonne to Rick without hesitation for his gain. Michonne can come to that deduction when Philip turns on the charm to impress Rick. She feels like a fool.

"I'm her agent, and I heard…" Philip is already trying to lick Rick boots, but Rick doesn't direct a glance at him.

Rick takes Michonne's hand, and he carefully turns her body to the side to face him. He frames her palms with his hands, and Michonne refuses to make eye contact. She knows what he is trying to do. She hates him for possessing the ability to do it. The selfish bastard is trying to convince her that he is the only man, who she wants. Michonne is tempted to look at Rick, and she is tempted to believe that his world revolves around her. That is his magical trick.

"Are you okay?" Rick asks his knuckles draw partner along Michonne jaws, and he is redirecting the focus of each of her neurons on him.

Michonne goes against her best reasoning, and she looks into Rick's eyes. The compelling effect is immediate, and Michonne drowns into a sea of vibrant emotions. Her arms circle Rick's waist, and Michonne feels drown to him. Her lips graze his chin, and she carefully rises on her toes. She prays anything will make her step out of this trance before she makes a regrettable mistake. Her lips tease his lower lip, and Michonne is about to go against reason. She is going to regret it.

"Rick?" Jessie calls for Rick, and her voice is enough to remind Michonne what are the issues between Rick and her.

"You should handle your mess. Mommy dearest wants a piece of you." Michonne angrily hisses, and she attempts to walk away from Rick.

Rick maintains Michonne in her stop. She continues to breathe his fragrance, and his knuckles continue to caress the curvature of her neck. Rick doesn't care for Philip or Jessie's presence.

"Your lil boyfriend needs to be gone when I come back," Rick warns Michonne, and his anger is silent.

Michonne deduces Rick's intent, and she can't believe that he will do a scene at this moment.

"It is a funeral." She pleads with him, and Rick cocks a challenging eyebrow.

"You keep that in mind" Rick answers and he finally closes the distance between their lips.

Michonne is surprised, but she doesn't resist the pressure of his lips on her. His arm possessively closes on Michonne's waist, and he crashes her body against his. Michonne moans when his free hand explores her slender neck. His tongue flirts with the entrance of Michonne's mouth. His teeth nibbled on her lower lip until she grants assess to her mouth. His kiss loses the laziness, and the passion becomes overwhelming. Michonne clings on Rick's shoulder with her arm tightly locked around his neck. Rick's hands run along Michonne's back to rest on her ass. He presses her more to him, and his tongue continues to conquer every inch of her mouth. She moans and steals her air from his lungs. He tastes like the sweetest mistake. Michonne doesn't care how much her lungs beg for air, and Rick's lip continues their exquisite assault on her senses. She has decided that asphyxiation is an honourable way to die, but it abruptly stops when Jessie pulls on Rick's arm. Although, he keeps his lips pressed to Michonne's one when he disapprovingly sighs.

"You're married to me until the ink dries on the divorce paper," Rick says as he finally allows Michonne to step out of his hold.

"You should live by it too." Michonne glances at Jessie, who continues to pool on Rick's arm.

Rick reluctantly drags Jessie back to the Ranch, and he leaves her in Carlton's arm.

"I need you to leave, Philip." Michonne turns to face Philip, and she doesn't know why he bothered attending in the first play.

"Not without an explanation. After you throw yourself like a whore to that man." Philip replies out of spite, and his only grievance is an abrupt loss of control on Michonne.

She is his walking wallet, and if Rick Grimes is indeed her husband, she is worth ten times more than her past value. Rick Grimes is a man with powerful connections, and Philip doesn't intend to be an agent forever. He can already figure out a way to have Michonne convince Rick to give him a chance. He doesn't mind sharing.

"Your explanation is walking away. Feel free to go ask him for details since you were ready to hop on his dick. I owe you nothing after I called you several times, and you ignored me for your bimbos." Michonne's reply astounds Philip, and he is about to argue when she continues to speak.

"You lost your girlfriend, but try me and your job will be next."

* * *

After the last guest leaves the Ranch, Rick expects the day to end. He simply wants to pack his bag and leave King County. He doesn't want to think about the kiss with Michonne. He has partly forgotten the intense argument with Jessie. Rick has a bag to pack, and he will return to his simple CEO life.

With the event of the day, he has forgotten about Carlton and the reading of his grandfather will. Michonne knocks at the door of Rick's room, and she waits for him to open. Rick slowly makes his way to the door, and once the door opens on Michonne, he knows that his attempts to forget their kiss are futile. That knowledge irritates him, but he can't express his frustration because he is too busy wanting to continue what Jessie.

Rick looks at Michonne, and he prays that she doesn't invade his space as she did his mind. After the day's stress, he might do the stupidest thing ever and indulge. She leans against the frame of his door, and she eyes his luggage. Michonne sighs and pushes away from her face the dreadlocks, which escaped her bun.

Rick simply takes her in, and she is a mistake waiting to happen. Her body perfectly fitted in a black cocktail dress. Her face is bare from all artifice with soft glowing skin. Her feet bare and he forgot how she hardly reaches his shoulders. For his own sanity, Rick decides to break the moment.

"What do you want, Michonne?" Rick abrasively asks, and his irritability has grown with his plaguing thought.

"Grandpa Richard's solicitor has arrived. Uncle Carlton requests your presence." Michonne disregards Rick's irritation and she leans against the doorframe to wait for him.

She doesn't want to be in Rick's presence after that kiss. He pushes her down a path, which she no longer wants to explore. Her feeling must have never died. They were dormant until he reminded her that her body craved him. Michonne watches Rick undo his tie. She wonders if she will ever come out the rabbit hole.

"This day will never end." Rick sighs, and he follows Michonne.

* * *

Rick and Michonne find everyone in Richard Senior's office. Maggie sits by her husband, who Rick hasn't had time to meet. Jessie has retrieved her sobriety, and she once again acts as the dedicated wife. Carlton sits by her side, as a perfect pet should. Morgan is speaking with Richard Senior solicitor, Deanna Monroe.

Rick politely nods in her direction, and he takes the only remaining available seat, which is by Michonne's left. Jessie throws a displeased glance in their direction. Rick isn't very comfortable with Michonne's proximity. He needs to focus, but he can't get their kiss out of his mind.

Once everyone is of attendance, Deanne settles in the chair behind the desk. She starts to go through most of Richard Senior legal contract. She quickly sorts through properties. Real estates and funds. Once she considers everything to be on order, Deanne starts.

"As stated in this file, Mr Richard Grimes senior chose Mr Morgan Jones as his executor." Deanne stops to offer anyone a chance to contest that fact.

No one in the room speaks, but Carlton isn't truly pleased. He clings on a file, and he keeps it close to his chest. He glances at his wife, and Jessie wears a discreet smile. She has waited for this day, and she can't wait to be the owner of the Grimes fortune. After certainty that no complaint will follow Morgan's role as the executor of Richard Senior's will, Deanne pursues.

"I'm here to establish the legality of Mr Grimes will. If any of you is in possession of the late Richard Senior's will, please produce it." She looks around the room, and Carlton rushes to leave his spot.

Jessie watches him with a pleased expression, and he finally unclutches the files. Carlton places the will, which he came to fish right after his father death became official. He has been sitting on it, and the two days of waiting felt like an eternity.

"I have the will, and I far as I know my father considered me the executor." Carlton has to contest Morgan.

Deanna picks the will, which Carlton presents to her. She reads it as a simple formality. The will is the one from twelve years ago. It's prior to Carlton's failure as CEO, and it is prior to his marriage with Jessie.

"This is no longer valid Carlton." Deanna calmly says, and she returns the will to Carlton, "Richard senior changed his will about a year ago and made Morgan his executor." She finishes, and Carlton is too shocked to react immediately.

"Here, if you will kind enough to read it, Deanna." Morgan pulls Richard Senior's will, and he places it on the desk.

Deanna does what she previously did with the will, which Carlton presented. She verifies the authenticity of everything, and she starts to read it.

"I, Richard Grimes senior by the present come to notify my family of my will. As I'm sound of body and mind, the validity of my will can be disputed." Deanna reads the first line, and once again, she waits for contestation.

No one voice anything although Jessie inquires when the will was made. Morgan can't believe her audacity. In the room, she is the one with the least ground to contest anything. Deanna graciously answered, and she continued to read.

"To my beloved grandchild, Michonne. I leave my most cherished possession. Every jewellery, which my beloved wife possessed, should be passed to Michonne with exception of the following sets. The pearl necklace, which is Maggie's favourite. The emerald ring, which also should go to Maggie." Deanna says, and she drags the legal document to allow assess to one of Richard senior vault.

Michonne doesn't know how to react to the news. Judith Grimes' jewellery collection is immense, and there are so many rare pieces in it. Many of the jewellery can't be worn because of their value. Above all, it is worth millions. From modest gold to diamond, Michonne doesn't know what to do with such collection.

"Why will he give it to her when it belongs to Carlton's mother. That should be in possession of her son or at least Maggie." Jessie furiously shouts, but Deanna remains unfazed.

"Richard inherited that jewellery from his late wife. If she saw fit for Carlton to have it, she would have said it." Morgan steps in defence of his granddaughter, and Michonne had a beautiful relationship with Judith.

"As for my different properties and real estate, Richard junior should manage them as he sees fit. Aside from the Atlanta residence, which Judith wanted our son Carlton to inherit; Richard junior is the sole honour of the remaining residences. Maggie will receive the Ranch as she always loved it" Deanna places the properties title and there are at least thirty residences all over the world.

Carlton is very silent, and the world is crumbling down. Jessie has a hard time consoling herself about the losses. Maggie will allow Carlton to control the Ranch, and Jessie could care less about a modest seven-room in Atlanta. She wants the lavish villa in Malaga. She wants the chalet in Switzerland. She wants what matters not the breadcrumbs. Although, she controls her emotion. As long as Carlton takes Richard Senior's shares of Grimes and Jones, everything will be all right.

"As for the Grimes and Jones consortium, my shares should be transferred to Richard junior in the scenario, where he is married to Michonne Jones. If Richard happens to be single at a time, Morgan Jones is allowed to buy my shares at the symbolic price of twenty thousand dollars …" Deanna can't finish reading the last line.

The room erupts, and Carlton loses his temper. He stands and demands to see the will, which Deanna refuses to allow. Obscenities are shouted, and Jessie can't move. After all, she did. After the sacrifice, that bitch of Michonne will never have what is rightfully hers.

"The money will be distributed as follows: two quarter for Richard. One quarter for Maggie, and the remaining one quarter to Carlton." Deanna doesn't stop, and she ignores Carlton.

"Five thousand dollars… five thousand dollars." Jessie attempts to understand.

This is what she is going to get for screwing that wrinkle idiot. Five thousand dollars because she doesn't believe Rick betrayed her that way.

"In the case scenario where Richard is married to Michonne Jones, Richard junior should manage the consortium and proceed to allocate a monthly allowance to Maggie, which I advise to keep the present amount. As for Carlton allowance, Richard should be able to decide the perfect amount." Deanna pursues although the atmosphere in the room announces a cataclysm.

"Those are Richard senior will. As I was present during the making of this will, I can testify of its legality. Mr Jones should be able to execute them." She finishes, and she closes the will.

"Deanna?" Carlton calls for Deanna as she stands to leave.

"Yes, Carlton?" She stops to listen to his complaint

"You can't tell me you trust this man. This will only profit his family. It is clearly fake." Carlton sneers at Morgan, and he refuses to acknowledge his son.

"You can contest it, Carlton, but I will advise you not to waste your time. I was present when this will was made or are you accusing me of falsification," She challengingly asks, and Carlton loses his courage.

….

…..

….

The tension in the room saturates everyone, and Maggie the neutral party attempts to diffuse it. Morgan has left to see Deanna out. Carlton is boiling and ready to explode. Rick only wants to return to his life. Michonne lays her head on Rick's shoulder, and much like her husband, she wants her life back. Although, they have both inherited a colossal fortune.

Jessie watches Michonne with I'll intent, and she doesn't understand how everything changes in a second. She never liked Michonne. She was always around Rick. Even when Jessie and Rick date, Michonne seemed to be his priority. There was always something wrong with Michonne. She should have known the other woman was competition.

"This is what you wanted," Carlton launches at Morgan when he returns. "To take over my dad's company. Taking all the shares for close to nothing. Twenty thousand, my ass." Carlton grabs Morgan by the collar, and he hurls his anger at the face of the man.

Finally, the tension in the room implodes. Everyone breaks out of the stupor. Michonne rushes to pull Carlton away from her grandfather. She grabs his arm and struggles to move him.

"You wanted those share for so long, and you probably killed him for it. He was doing fine, and his attack was nothing lethal." Carlton hits Morgan before anyone can react.

Rick drags his father away while Michonne checks on her grandfather. Maggie stands in the corner of the room unable to react. Tetanized while the chaos unfolds. Jessie moves toward her husband and stepson.

"Carlton." frustrated and angry, Rick shoves his father against a wall, and he attempts to restrain the frantic older man.

"Oh shut up," Carlton replies and he wants to get Rick off him.

Jessie pulls on Rick's arm to free her husband, but it is pointless.

"Your accusation is pointless. Grandpa Morgan is not buying my shares." Rick magically remains calm amidst the extreme chaos.

"Your shares?" Carlton and Jessie question for different reasons.

"In case you missed that line. In the scenario where I'm married to Michonne, which I'm. I inherited his shares of the company." Rick replies, and he releases his father.

It quickly becomes a mistake, which he regrets. Carlton hits him square in the face, and Rick stumbles backwards. He quickly recovers, and he doesn't bother counterattacking. He simply wants to be out of this family mess. Michonne reaches for him, and he pushes her hand away claiming that he is fine.

"You're in it with him. What would I expect different from a son of a bitch like you? You're not getting away with it. I will contest this will and demand an autopsy." Carlton raves and Jessie panics after his last sentence.

"Honey, calm down." Jessie tries to stop him before the autopsy becomes a reality.

"Do what you want," Rick replies, and his lack of fear infuriates Carlton.

"Son of a bitch," Carlton shouts at Rick, and with the words, Rick's restraint vacillates.

Between Carlton and Rick, the first source of conflict tied to Carlton's treatment of Rick's mother. The constant infidelity, which never stopped until her death. The night when Carlton didn't show to the hospital because he was too busy with his new plaything. With those specific words, Carlton knows that he is hitting below the belt.

"Rick?" Michonne holds on Rick's arm, and she can't express the anger, which she sees in his eyes. "Please." She pleads with him.

Michonne miraculously holds his attention, and it suffices to snap him out of blind fury. Rick takes a deep breath, and Morgan silently orders him to leave.

"Think about your allowance, Carlton," Rick says with a hint of spite and mockery.

Carlton can't take the humiliation, and he pulls on Michonne's arm so she will let go of her husband.

"Let him show how much of a man he is." Carlton pulls a bit too hard, and Michonne hits the ground.

"Don't you dare touch my wife?" Rick hits Carlton Square in the face with all the rage, which he can no longer contain.

"I'm fine…I'm fine." Michonne quickly rises from the floor, and she puts herself on Rick's destructive path.

"That Hollywood whore. How much did you promise her to get her on board with your deceit? I can't believe my dad gave her my mother's ring …" Carlton starts to spew his venom, but Rick's fist interrupts him.

Michonne stares in shock because of how quickly Rick bypassed her. Morgan is the only one to react in a matter of second. Although, it doesn't suffice. Rick is already on top of Carlton, and he is blinded by fury. He relentlessly hits his father's face until his knuckles start to bruise.

"Carlton," Jessie shouts, and she tries to shove Rick from her husband.

"Richard, enough." Morgan pulls Rick from bleeding and bruised Carlton.

Although, Rick easily bypasses him. He returns to a Carlton laying on the floor to finish whatever he intends to do. Rick kicks Carlton harder and harder. Morgan does a poor job restraining him, and Rick is in a spiral of unrestrained anger. Michonne breaks out of her shock, and she doesn't consider the risk. However, she isn't letting Rick's blind rage cost a life. She jumps on Rick's back, and she tries to drag him down with her weight.

"Rick, let go." Michonne and Morgan shout until Rick moves away from Carlton.

Everyone in the room stares quietly, and ultimately Maggie retrieves her senses. She rushes to the phone to call Pete Anderson to attend Carlton. Rick has yet to break out of his rage. He kicks on what stand on his way and throws things until he abruptly stops.

"Rick?" Michonne calls after him while he walks out of the room unbothered by the chaos, which he lefts behind.

* * *

Michonne hears Rick's pacing from her room, and the sound starts to become oppressive. Her reason tries to suppress her instinct. Beforehand, Morgan sent Michonne away because her anxious pacing would have given him a heart attack. From the event of the night, no one has recovered. What transpired adds tension to the present anguish.

The walls suddenly are too thin, and the air is unbreathable. The clock chirps to announce a new hour, and Doctor Anderson leaves the Grimes ranch at three in the morning. In the last hour, Carlton called Michonne a whore at least five times. Maggie and her husband, Glenn, have retired for the nights. Morgan offered Michonne a glass of bourbon, and he has issued the explicit order to let Rick cool off.

However, Michonne can't stand the sound of his pacing. She knows of his anger management problem, and Rick is in therapy. The leather bracelet on Rick's hand, which he endlessly snaps, is a technique that Michonne knows. Nonetheless, she didn't expect to see him display such amount of fury or the total lack of control.

Morgan's advice is the logical thing, but Michonne lacks discernment when Rick Grimes is the chore of the problem. Consequently, she stands in front of Rick's door and listens to every sound. Michonne morbidly needs to know what is happening behind Rick's closed door. She gathers all of her courage to knock at Rick's door, and he doesn't answer. She considers abandoning, but the pull to intervene dominates her common sense. Michonne knocks until Rick can no longer ignore her.

"What?" Rick snatches the door open and walks away from it without a glance.

Rick doesn't have to look to know who is at his door. Michonne's way to knock on a door hasn't changed in twenty years. She puts enough strength to create the needed noise, but the tapping is extremely fast. The sound of her knock still irritates him, and it is impossible to ignore. The amount of pointless details, which Rick knows about Michonne, is laughable.

"Are you okay?" Michonne asks as she follows Rick inside and closes the door.

"You knocked at my door for twenty minutes to ask a stupid question?" Rick sceptically challenges Michonne, and he drags his duffle bag on his bed.

"With bleeding knuckles, the question naturally comes to mind." Michonne takes Rick's hand, and she inspects his knuckles.

Rick pulls his hand away from her fingers, and he puts some distance between their bodies. Rick is volatile, and he fails to control any of his emotions. Rick grabs a shirt to busy himself, and he decides to ignore Michonne.

"After everything that happened tonight, Grandpa is worried about you," Michonne tells a half-truth, and she doesn't know how Rick will receive her concern.

Her presence appears to add a different dynamic to his lack of control. She has a glimpse of it in the smouldering stare that he directs at her, but Rick's annoyance quickly subdues the intensity of his stare.

…

…

….

…

Michonne sits on Rick's bed, and her hands itch for something to do. Michonne's need for nicotine abruptly resurfaces. A tension settles between the room's occupants. Michonne remembers that Rick is in possession of her cigarette pack. Following tonight's events, she needs to smoke several cigarettes to lessen her adrenaline.

Forgetting physical boundaries, Michonne thrusts her hand in Rick's pocket. Michonne works to retrieve her cigarettes, and her hand parenthetically explores Rick's thigh.

She does not rub his bare skin, but the effect is similar to one from a less innocent caress. Her fingers dance on Rick's leg and ascend higher on his thigh. The material of his dress pant clings on Rick's skin where Michonne's hand passes. Her fingers continue to crawl higher in his thigh and start to flirt with his groin. Rick looks at Michonne's hand, and his thoughts are beyond his control. Of course, he will strive for his control in the most primal way. Rick grabs Michonne's wrist, and he drowns the echoes of his thoughts under reasoning.

"I'm okay." He abrasively replies to her, and Rick's thumb draws many circles around Michonne's wrist. "Now, that you attended to your marital duty, you should leave." Rick yanks her hand out of his pocket, and he grabs Michonne by the arm to force her to leave.

Rick pulls Michonne up, and he is rough. His grip is nearly bruising. Michonne destroys his well-constructed balance between control and detachment. Rick needs Michonne to leave, or his actions might become nefarious to his well-being. Michonne swats Rick's hand away from her arm, and she reclaims her initial spot on Rick's bed. The hem of her dress climbs on her thighs, and Rick regrets his inclination to choose poorly when the equation contains Michonne.

"Here we go again." Michonne feigns the indignation, and she expected nothing else from Rick.

Believing that Rick will have a change of heart is heresy. Each time Michonne moves, the hem of her dress rides higher on her thighs. Rick sighs and closes his eyes. He rubs his palms against the side of his pants, and he decides to redirect his thoughts to safer topics.

Michonne languorously peers at him, and Rick would like to know her aim. Michonne is so intimate to Rick's needs. She is in control of her emotions. In Rick's chaotic state, she is irresistible. He wants to see how malleable she will be in his hands. What does he need to do to take away her control? Another side effect of his trauma, Rick needs to dominate his environment.

"You have ceased to care for your little wife. Defending my honour doesn't matter anymore." Michonne sarcastically adds, and she inserts in a seductive intonation to her words as a mockery to his seriousness.

The effect remains the same for Rick. He attempts to distract his mind, and he grabs the first clothes and pushes it in his duffle bag. Rick needs to leave the ranch tonight. He needs to escape the confusion. Michonne picks the clothes out of his hand, and Rick glares in frustration. Why does she need to pock and probe?

"What do you want, Michonne?" Rick can't prevent his reaction.

He sizes and challenges Michonne with a question. What does she want? What hasn't she taken from him? Does she want a taste of what being in the centre of a storm means? Does she want to experience what happens when he doesn't restrain everything he feels for her? What does Michonne want?

"I want to have a conversation. I want to know what is going on with you. I want to tell you how exhausting you're. Pick the answer, which suits you, Rick." She casually answers, and Rick questions when she got a spine.

Does she know what she is playing? She involuntary enters a game to decide the dynamic of power in their relationship. Michonne is instinctively reacting to the energy and the tension emanating from Rick.

"Congratulation, you did all three. You can find your way out." Rick takes back his shirt, and he places it in the duffle bag.

Michonne switches her position, and she sits on her calves. She slightly lifts her tights to appear taller against Rick. She challenges Rick, who her sudden bravery amuses. Rick bends toward Michonne to be at eye level with her. He lays his hands flat on Michonne's shoulders, and he rubs his thumbs along her collarbone. Rick's palms spray warmth on Michonne shoulder, and the tips of his finger caress her nape. Loose coils tangle around his fingernails. Rick tilts Michonne's head with a cutting tug, and she has to adjust her posture to face.

"You don't have the monopoly of pain." Michonne composedly says, and she draws a deep breath.

Michonne refuses to let Rick's intimidating technique suppress her voice. His hands restrict the movement of her throat without it being painful. Although, Michonne's heart rate speeds. Rick's forefinger grazes Michonne's pulse point.

"Please, enlighten me. How America sweetheart has it so hard." Rick counters with a voice, which takes a predatory suaveness.

His thumbs retrace back their path, and his hands leave Michonne's neck. He should walk away while he can. He doesn't need to complicate the situation.

"You aren't the only broken individual in this world. I'm tired…No I'm exhausted." She states and punctuates every word with a slight push against Rick's chest.

The first thing, which Rick told Michonne, is not to touch him. She seems to make it her mission to go against that request. In every fashion, which Rick can tolerate, Michonne has touched him. Her fingers always graze his arm. Her nose would graze his neck. Her lips would be pressed against his. What kind of restraint does she believe that he has? She can't be that blind to his reaction.

…

…..

…..

…

Michonne can't be blind to Rick's constant need to keep an appropriate distance between their bodies. Does she ever think of the consequences? Unmistakably, Rick is the one with the moral high ground. Why will she put him through more turmoil? Why will she come to him when he wants her with an aching desire?

"I can't do this with you." Michonne continues her tirade, and Rick doesn't listen to half of what she said.

Rick focuses on Michonne's palm, which she presses on his clothed abdomen. Michonne ceases to push him. She settles for sinking her nails into Rick's tone stomach. He watches her nails slowly claw out at his stomach every time that she issues a complaint.

She plays with the button on his shirt. She absentmindedly slips her fingers between the spaces in the row of buttons. Her forefinger nail digs a sinuous path into his skin. She unconsciously follows his happy trail.

"Don't worry you will have your divorce." Rick steadies Michonne's hand, and he hauls it out of his shirt.

Surprised, Michonne abruptly stands from the bed, and she traps her body between Rick and the bed's edge. Michonne nearly collapses on the bed, and she reflexively clings on Rick for balance. Rick closes his eyes, and he attempts to make abstraction of Michonne. Although, she stands on his toes. Her thigh lies between his legs and presses on his manhood. Her hands fist his shirt, and she continues to be naive to their proximity. Her rant monopolizes her mind. Her mouth is close enough to his skin for every breath, which she takes to feel like teasing caress on Rick's neck.

"You hate me, fine. It is my fault." Michonne takes a step forward, and Rick steps back to counterbalance. Michonne's thigh grazes Rick's manhood, and his resistance diminishes with every passing second, "I ruined your pathetic life. I made it hell because of a stupid crush on you." Michonne eats the distance, which Rick struggles to keep between them.

"Do you have any idea of what you do to me?" Rick replies, and he has his response to how obvious she is to the situation. She looks into his eyes, and she takes in the intensity of the darkening shade of blue. Michonne stutters for a second.

"You want me, fine, and it is my fucking fault too." She shoves him in frustration, and Rick finishes against the wall.

Michonne's hands pressed against his chest keep him pinned to the wall.

"You must like it how you make me feel so out of control," Rick confesses to Michonne, and his thoughts are spinning.

Figuratively and literally, Michonne pinned Rick against a wall. Why does she think that the wisest thing to do is to talk about how much he wants her? His efforts to deny his desire aren't sufficiently pointless, and she has to render them obsolete.

"I can't care for every detail necessary to your happiness. Do what the fuck you want." Michonne states and Rick takes her up to the challenge.

He grabs her hands, and he expertly manoeuvres to exchange their positions. Michonne finds her back shoved against the wall while Rick raises her arms and keeps them above her head. Rick's knee parts her legs, and he thrusts his throbbing hard manhood against her inner thigh. He keeps her crushed against the wall. Rick's nose grazes her nose, and Michonne's lips flirt with Rick's tongue.

….

…..

…

…

"Rick?" Michonne's heart flutters, and the deep breath, which she takes, don't ease the fire in her lungs.

With every panting breath, Michonne's breasts graze Rick's chest. Rick rests his forehead in the crook of Michonne's neck. Maintaining a status quo seems pointless tonight. Fighting his desire to remain levelheaded loses its appeal with every breath of air saturated by Michonne's fragrance. The tip of Rick's nose runs along her collarbone, and he can't breathe enough of Michonne.

"I know." He answers with his eyes following the slight partying of her lips.

Rick's lips tease Michonne's lips. Michonne tastes Rick in the air, which she breathes. Rick's knee widely parts her legs, and Rick's hard manhood grazes Michonne increasingly wet panties. Michonne works to anchor her mind. She strives to remember the reason why they shouldn't go through with this moment of folly.

Rick is grasping for control, and his grip on Michonne's delicate wrist confirms it. Although, the small bites, which Rick places around her collarbone like an adorning necklace, is a display of commendable restraint. He bites and licks her soft skin with slow dedication. Rick's lips touch every bare skin along her neck, but he magisterially avoids all the spot where Michonne aches for his caress.

"This is a bad idea," Michonne responds without conviction when Rick's lip starts the sensual exploration of her jaws.

"Great, we both know it ..." Rick brushes his lips against Michonne's lips, and he creates a small path of kisses until the crook of her neck. Their lips barely touch, but the anticipation of the contact is sufficiently poisonous to Michonne's senses. The knuckles moulding a path from her knee to the hem of her dress are electrifying. The lightness of Rick's touch is intoxicating because it creates a state of craving. Her need for him influences her courage.

Rick's free hand continues to explore her curves until it closes around Michonne's neck. His thumb caresses her soft shivering skin while mimicking the speed of her slowing pulse. His lips lazily brush against Michonne's one. Rick offers her the liberty to lead their kiss or to end it before everything goes too far.

"I'm going to regret this." Michonne makes an informed decision while minimizing the consequences.

She weights the pro and cons, but Michonne doesn't possess the lucidity to identify cons when Rick's lips are pressed against hers. Rick's taste is still engraved in her mind.

Michonne closes the remaining distance between their lips. She demands all of Rick into a kiss. It is aggressive, bruising, but some restraint remains. Their tongues move at a suave pace. He tastes like everything meant to consume her with needs. He tastes like happiness, which is out of reach. He tastes bitter like a fine absinth burning her taste buds and establishing in her heart the craving for more. Therefore, she drinks at his lips in hope to quench a thirst, which a taste of him fuels.

…

….

…..

…

"No," Rick's teeth sink in Michonne's lower lip, and he raises her hands higher.

Michonne winces and moans. Rick slightly tugs on her lower lip. His hand slides from her face to her neck. The caress is sensual and comforting. He replaces the warmth, which she lost with the departure of his lips. His thumb settles above her carotid pulse. The pulse is fast and bounding. She is anxious. He kisses her with more tenderness. His tongue parades in her mouth and teases her senses.

"Do you want this?" Rick demands, and Michonne's answer is to deepen the kiss.

Rick uses his grip on her neck carefully to pull her away. His fingers crawl from her neck to her jaw. He places small kisses on the mark his finger left around her neck. His knuckles rub Michonne's cheek, and Rick rests his forehead on Michonne's. The blue of his eyes takes a blinding paleness, and Michonne closes her eyes in response. She basks in his fragrance

"Do you consent to this?" Rick whispers, and he loosens his grip around Michonne's wrist.

She nibbles at his lower lip, and she presses his hand against her wetness. The lace of her panty sticks to the finger, which he drags along her cover slits. She slides her free hand in his curls and kisses him with a crushing desire.

"Say that you want me." Rick tangles his finger around her locks and slightly tilts her head with a small tug on her nape.

Michonne gasps due to the brisk movement and sudden sharp pain. Tender fingers massage her scalp until she can't help but moan. Rick smiles, pleased with Michonne's cry of pleasure. His scent infiltrates her skin and intoxicates her mind.

"Yes, I want you." Her desire for Rick is a dull ache, which is the worse type of pain.

An ache, which burns with consistency until dealt. Michonne's nails dig into his flesh to keep her upright. They both don't mind the small sporadic sharp pain. They are too engrossed in the exploration of their skin. She can't help but peer into Rick's eyes. The sudden domineering aura around him is intoxicating.

"Tell me if I get too rough." He says and punctuates his words with a bruising kiss.

"Oh fuck…" Michonne cries when Rick starts to rub the heart of her pleasure, and her feminine juice coats his fingers.

His thumb is lazily massaging her clitoris. With his other fingers, he is parting her labia. His index runs between her slits. He pushes a finger in her eager core.

"Do you like it?" He swallows the pleading moans for more, which leaves Michonne's lips when he pushes a second finger in her, and he does move until Michonne sinks her teeth in his neck because she wants more. "Do you want me ball deep in you?" Rick starts to finger fuck her. "Do you want me bruising your wall?" He pushes his fingers deeper, and he moves them faster "What do you really want? My dick or my tongue." He continues to finger fuck her and rub her clitoris until her wall starts to contract.

"Rick…" She cries his name again, and she melts into his arms.

Rick pulls his finger out his finger, and he sucks every ounce of Michonne's cum. He pulls her away from the wall, and he leads her toward his bed.

"Strip," Rick confidently orders, and he expects obedience.

He starts to undo his buttons, and he throws his shirt to the side.

"How do you want me to do it?" Michonne voices the thing, which she wants the most now to please him. To earn his approving smile. To be rewarded by his touch.

The question is given in a timid tone. It brings a smirk to Rick's lips.

"Come here…" Rick says, and Michonne's hesitant caress draws a subtle moan out of his lips.

He savours his little victory against her reason. Rick takes her soft lips between his plump ones. The kiss is lazy, and the passion is hesitantly rising. Rick breaks the kiss before Michonne can become accustomed to his taste. He needs her to crave him, and he can only obtain the desired effect if he eludes her. She sighs and goes for another kiss. Her resistance has reasonable limitations.

"You drive me so mad." She lifts her eyes to meet his.

In that agitated brown sea, Rick sees the need for his validation. Michonne finds in his eyes promises of exquisite pleasure, which turn the bones and flesh into canonized ashes.

Rick places his hands on her cheeks and caresses her face with his thumbs. With an intensity that shatters Michonne, Rick takes her lips between his. His lips are smooth, and he is gentle in a way, which she is not accustomed to from anyone. He is not pressing but lazier in the strokes of his tongue. There is a lightness to his caress, which could rival the touch of a painter on an impressionist piece. Michonne's mouth slightly opens to allow the entrance of the sweet invader.

Eventually, Rick deepens the kiss. His tongue strokes become more aggressive, and his tongue is impetuous and authoritative. The joust between their tongues is virulent and inflamed. Rick only stops exploring her mouth to suck on her lip while he relentlessly returns to engage her tongue in a new tango.

Rick turns Michonne around to help with her zipper, and his hand steadies her. He wraps an arm around her waist and presses her back to his front. Rick's lips rest on the nape of Michonne's neck. He licks the curvature of her neck and bites the junction between her neck and her shoulder.

He sinks his teeth in her tender flesh. He marks her as deeply as he can. He leaves proof of whom she offers her submission. He traps her in his magnetic field, and she can't help but fall prey to desire. Michonne is an ingénue, who has found the pervasive source of trouble.

Rick wants her to understand the primal and carnal part of sex, as he won't offer the emotional side of it. He doesn't need the burden of emotions. Instead, he wants her barbarically to take from his being until he is empty and unable to offer her anything.

Rick starts to kiss Michonne's shoulder while she unzips her dress. Every inch of skin, which she reveals, Rick adores and celebrates with his devoted lips. His teeth graze her bareback, and his tongue soothes the ache of his bite. When the fabric of her dress hits the floor, Rick's eyes stop on her ass. He draws Michonne to his groin, and he sandwiches his harden penis between her buns. His forefinger hooks around her thong and Michonne steps out of it.

"Own me!" She whispers against his lips while he guides her to his bed.

The lures Rick's primal side out of slumber, and he is so eager to dominate her. He can no longer resist Michonne corrupting call. She sits on the edge of his bed, and Rick feasts the heavenly sight of her body. Her perky breast, the hue of her sweet skin, and her endless leg. He wants everything to imprint to his memory.

….

…..

…..

….

Michonne's fingers grip his pants' waistband, and she doesn't go further with her teasing touch. Michonne stares into his eyes and her heart flutters. With a strong pull on his waistband, she drags him down until he is on his knee and at eye level with her. Victorious on his knees, Rick waits for Michonne's inevitable surrender. She places her second hand on his free cheek. Her thumb seeks his bottom lip. Rick teasingly sucks her thumb, and later he bites the tip when he releases it.

Her aching for him grows. His palm caresses Michonne's knees, and he parts her legs. His tongue teasingly licks the slit of her vagina. His thumb rubs her engorged clitoris.

"Rick…" She moans with reverences when she regains use of her tongue. No one ever said his name with such worshipping tone, and she still manages to infuse the passion and exuberance of pagan prayer.

Each lick brings rawer cries of pleasure from Michonne's lips. Rick' tongue penetrates the slit of her vagina. She pleads with him for more, but he knows when denial brings to heighten senses. Each of Michonne's raw cries for more, Rick systemically denies, and he punishes her with a caress on her clitoris. Michonne's fingers tangle and tug on Rick's curls to pry him away, but the same hand maintains him in place.

Michonne slides her hand from his hair to his shoulders. The tips of her nails graze the flesh of his neck, and she leaves little marks behind her trail. Rick winces when her manicured nails dig those trails, but Michonne quickly soothes his pain with another caress

His tongue relentlessly digs in and out of her vagina. His fingers massaged the throbbing ache of her clitoris. Michonne throws her head back and closes her eyes. The rich and inventive profanities, which colour her language, cover the wet sounds of his tongue gliding over her labia.

He has a nonchalant smirk on his lip. She wants to wipe it away, and so she leans down to kiss him. He entraps her tongue between his teeth, and he slightly bites. His lips voraciously devour hers. He pinches her clitoris, and she moans in his mouth. He kisses her again, and he whispers against her lips.

"Be a good girl, come for me." The confident tone of his voice and his hand putting the right pressure on Michonne's clitoris render disobedience an impossible act.

Michonne's walls contract and she drifts into waves of pleasure. Only the weight on Rick's body as he lays on top of her grounds Michonne to reality. He intertwines his fingers with her, and he drags her arms up. Rick pins them together above her head. Again, he changes their dynamic. He takes the lead and focuses on maintaining control. His mouth leaves hers to settle on her neck. The kiss carves her flesh, and Michonne has never known a sweeter passion. Rick licks and bites on her erogenous zone until she tries to pry her neck away from his mouth. Her skin has grown so sensitive that the hot air from his breath sends her sensory receptor in overdrive. His free hand fondles her breast.

The way with which his hand runs along her curves is practised and controlled. He offers caresses, which are incendiary. Rick is careless but controlled in his thrust. Slow and masterful. Rough and bruising in the sweetest way. Michonne bites on his shoulder to quiet the passionate moans, which might awaken the entire ranch.

Rick lifts his body and lets himself sink on the side of the bed. She does not know how to follow up or how to hold him down. All her efforts seem pointless, the sacrifice all are meaningless.

He resents that she softens him, and she brings back a bit of his old self. The part of him he wants to be lost and buried, she just walks in all his walls and drags it out.

Needs, Rick breaks under the weight of his needs. His own weakness offends him, and he drives in Michonne's core with more focus. His thrusts are longer and deeper. All Rick offers to Michonne body is worshipping caresses. His thrusts are bruising, and he reshapes her perception of sex. Nothing else could feel this good, and she knows that he is ruining her for other men.

Michonne's palms are moist and hurt from clutching at Rick back, but He never feels enough. Rick deepens their kiss while he uses his hand to light every inch of her body on fire. Her soul goes in flame with every kiss, every bite, and every sweet word.

Rick devours Michonne's mouth, and he consumes her with each dick stroke. He tastes every inch of her skin. His canine almost breaks through her skin. She hisses, and he moves his mouth to her neck. Rick nips and creates a path of little bites until her collarbone.

On Michonne's harden nipple, Rick lowers his mouth. He sucks on it with passion while his right-hand grabs, pinches, and squeezes her other nipple. He causes pain, which enhances Michonne's erotic pleasure. Her moans resonate beyond the wall of Rick's room, and her lungs have combusted.

Michonne's mind is aflame. She can't think, and speaking becomes a task reserved for the god. Words of praise for his masculinity and many profanities indiscriminately die on Michonne's lips. Her moans are the only sounds, which Michonne is able to formulate. Her cries are the only things, which Rick wants to hear.

Michonne's sensual cries echo against every wall with a sacredness similar to the harmony of an organ resonating in a crowded Catholic church. It is enough to cover Rick' ego with laurel. He slams his dick harder in her. Michonne submits to every of his touch, and another power struggle during, which Rick irremediably bounds her to him. He is assertive, and he regains control with each praising cry from Michonne.

There is a dangerous mix of frustration, anger, and lust. There is a lingering desire to fix what was hurt and damaged. Michonne feels so perfect in his arms, and Rick can't stop thinking that she should his. No other woman will ever feel as good as she does.

A cry escapes her throat, and the next thrust more powerful than the previous one. How does he pretend that this moment never happened? Michonne tries to move her face from the sweaty skin of his shoulder, but the warmth of his skin is a comfort. He refuses to look in her eyes, and he finds his way of punishing her for being perfection. Detachment, he has to take a step back, but with every touch, he sinks deeper. Rick dodges Michonne's kiss. He made a mistake, and it will consume him.

There is no soft touch, and there is no loving touch. He barely looks at her, and when she tries to redirect his attention on her, He turns his head to the side. From Rick's tight grip on her waist, bruises form, but they go beyond the skin. From the kisses, which he offers, bruises will arise.

Rick tries to pull away from Michonne, but he can't fight the pulls. He thrust in her until she reaches completion.

He tries to resist, but he comes crashing down. Michonne's take his face in her hand, and she entraps him with a look. He drowns in her eyes, and it is a small death. She will forever be unreachable perfection, and in ten years, sex has never felt like anything but a conquest of power and control. Now, it feels too real for Rick. Michonne is too real. She is beautiful. She is perfect. She is a mistake. She is all his fears and wants. He kisses her to silence all the emotion, which she brings to life. Her kiss and words, which she whispers bring la petite mort to Rick.

She wakes up alone, and Michonne didn't expect anything. Although, Rick spent the night by her side. There was a slight awkwardness, but exhaustion kept the regrets and angry words at bay. Now, there is nothing to keep the emotions buried. Michonne needs a cigarette, and Rick has left her packet on the bedside table. With the cigarette comes a note, and Michonne regrets reading it.

 _My lawyer will contact your lawyer to see through the divorce process_.

Cold and impersonal, why does she bother with Rick Grimes? Michonne made a mistake. To Rick, she will forever be an inconvenience.

 **Well we have reach the bottom of the barrel, let start fixing this mess. from here, we can't go lower.**


	8. Chapter 8

thanks for the reviews

I don't own the walking dead.

please review

* * *

 **Chapter VII: Beggars and Horses**

 **.**

* * *

The bottom of her teacup probably doesn't have the answers to her questions, but Michonne stares in search of an epiphany. The tea has run cold, and it must be bitter. Michonne isn't a tea person, but vodka isn't the appropriate choice of drink at nine in the morning.

She shoves her thumbs in her eyelids, and she attempts to clog her tear ducts. Michonne swore she wouldn't shed a tear over the situation. Richard Grimes junior isn't worth a tear. He isn't worth the energy and the heartache.

However, she doesn't control what is worth a heartache. Her heart is beyond aching, and Michonne's heart is agonizing. Michonne's heart is fluttering. Michonne's heart is swinging between two emotional extremes. As soon as his lips were on hers, she knew she was making a mistake. Now, the time to face the consequences has come.

Therefore, Michonne hopes her teacup might have the answer. She needs a moment to sort through the conflict between her mind and her body. Her body is singing praises of Rick Grimes. Her body has declared Rick the only lover, which it wants. Every inch of her skin tingles at the thought of him. She continues to taste him on her lips, and she craves him. As for her mind, Rick Grimes is an asshole. Rick Grimes is a mistake, but a mistake that she was ready to repeat.

Michonne shakes her head, and she attempts to erase thoughts of Rick. Although, the task seems impossible. She is continuously reliving last night, and Michonne is unsure if she wants to forget everything that transpired last night. Who wants to forget the best sex of their life? She used to fantasy about Rick, and the fantasies don't compete with the reality.

Michonne closes her eyes, and she allows her head to sink down. She rests her head on her forearm, and she mentally chastises herself for her weakness. Those tears will eventually fall. For now, Michonne will try to forget Rick.

"Have you seen Richard?" Morgan asks as he enters the kitchen.

He places a kiss on the crown of his granddaughter's head. Michonne sighs, and how can she forget him when mention of his name rises her blood pressure.

"He left this morning. Why?" Michonne reluctantly replies.

She straightens herself, and she drinks the remaining of her cold bitter tea. She faces Morgan, and Michonne hopes her facial expression doesn't betray her turmoil.

"Some legal aspect to work on for the inheritance," Morgan responds.

He is on his wait out of the kitchen when he glances at Michonne. Morgan returns to the table, and he drags a chair out to sit by Michonne. He knows that lost expression in her eyes. Richard Grimes junior is somehow responsible for it.

"Are you okay, baby?" Morgan questions, but the answer is obvious by the frown lines on Michonne's forehead.

"I'm fine… How are you doing after last night?" Michonne attempts to redirect the conversation.

"I shouldn't be the focus, sweetheart." He knowingly says, "The night was rough for everyone. I guess for you more than anyone. What Carlton said…?" Morgan doesn't know how to follow those words.

How low Carlton went last night is unbelievable. He knew the boy was dumb, but he never expected the viciousness. Morgan didn't anticipate so much anger, but he should have foreseen that Richard senior's will would divide an already deeply broken family.

"I have heard worse, and gossip magazines wrote worse things about me," Michonne attempts to reassure her grandfather.

Last night unsettled Morgan, and Michonne doesn't think Carlton's insults and threats should weight on her grandfather's shoulder.

"Well, you still have the right to be upset about it. Although, Richard was upset enough on your behalf. Carlton deserves every second of that ass whooping." He says with quiet satisfaction.

"Don't encourage it, grandpa. I doubt Rick was fighting for my honour when he has called me worst names and treated me like a whore too." The bitterness festers Michonne's words.

Who does something so disrespectful? A note with a sentence, Rick does not care for Michonne. She doesn't want her anger to resurface because tears come associated to it.

"Perhaps, you should consider giving him an ass whooping too," Morgan advises with the uttermost seriousness, "You have the bad habit to allow Richard to get away with everything, and worse, you forgive without giving him a chance to apologize," Morgan sighs and pursues, "I understand that love is blind. However, sometimes you need to take off the pink coloured glasses and see the bullshit. After, you can deal with it accordingly with a firm ass whooping," Morgan advises.

Michonne's statement confirmed his initial suspicions. Morgan truly hopes Richard senior was right. With Rick and Michonne, things can go extremely well or one of them will destroy the other. So far, Rick has relentlessly aimed to hurt Michonne.

"I don't love Rick," Michonne unconvincingly denies her feelings.

She wants to believe that she is not stupid enough to fall for Rick. Michonne doesn't want to face the consequences attached to the admission of her feelings.

"I swear last night you two convinced the entire neighbourhood otherwise," Morgan says with false surprise in his voice, "If he wasn't your husband, I will have a lot to say. His childhood home, Y'all hold nothing sacred," Morgan points with a side eye.

Michonne doesn't know how to respond to that statement. She didn't think about how loud she could have been last night. Somehow, she forgot that her grandfather was in the same house. Michonne simply let her head sink on the table. Embarrassment appears to be the most appropriate response to Morgan's statement.

"Grandpa… No." She embarrassingly groans.

"I'm saying think before lying to me," Morgan disregards Michonne's embarrassment.

"I'm not in love with Rick. We hardly tolerate each other," Michonne insists.

"Is there a new way to call that amount of devotion, admiration, and ability to forgive this day? You're too old to lie to yourself, and you're too old to give your all to a man without questioning what you gain from it," Morgan wisely continues.

"You wanted me to marry him…" Michonne defensively counters.

"Never once, I stipulated that you should let him walk all over you to keep him happy," Morgan points out the flaws in Michonne's defence, "That is all on you. I told you, and I'm telling you again. Give your husband an ass whooping when he is out of line, which is every damn time. Although, your instinct is to reward him for every little decent act," Morgan all-knowingly finishes.

Michonne has no ground to argue the facts, and last night confirms Morgan's statement. She silently listens for as long as she can.

"Thanks for the advice, but my lawyer will be calling his lawyer to work on the divorce." She stubbornly replies.

"Maybe that is the ass whooping that he needs," Morgan doesn't attempt to insist on the topic.

The silence closes the conversation. Michonne stands to pour herself more tea, and she offers a cup to Morgan. Once again, Michonne loses herself to her doubts and question about last night.

"When are you leaving?" Morgan asks, and Michonne escapes her mind.

"In three hours." She answers with slight relief.

"Then come with me, and so I can show you off to the entire town," Morgan says with a small smile.

"Grandpa, don't be ridiculous," Michonne laughs and she knows that was Morgan's aim.

"I need to go to the supermarket. Come with me, and so I can proudly say this is Michonne, my granddaughter. She is a Hollywood star," Morgan insists with a lighter tone.

"I'm a singer not in movies yet," Michonne corrects him, but she joins his quiet laugh.

"Even better," Morgan doesn't allow Michonne's reluctance to dampen his spirit.

"I will grab my suitcase, and you can drop me in the airport after you parade me," Michonne ultimately agrees.

* * *

The fact that she does return her meal every time is a miracle. Jessie keeps her eyes closed while Carlton's hand explores her body. Ten years of this torture, ten years of allowing his wrinkled dick to penetrate her walls. Where is her reward? Where is the colossal fortune that she deserves?

Carlton kisses Jessie as he drives in her, and she keeps her eyes closed. She can't wait for him to come. She is considering replacing his Viagra pills. The hope and the promises of a colossal fortune no longer keep her focus. Sex with Carlton is a deplorable act, and Jessie fakes an orgasm to encourage Carlton to come. Unfortunately, for her, he seems to have the energy to go for hours.

Jessie attempts to distract her mind from what is happening. She will rather fantasize about whom she wishes to fuck. She heard him last night, and she heard her moans. She has never felt so envious and angry. With thoughts of Michonne and Rick going at it, Jessie can't even escape in her mind. She feels so angry and betrayed.

She opens her eyes to face a sweaty Carlton with his face distorted in pleasure. She wants to push him away from her body. She frustratedly watches him poorly handle her body. She fakes her moans, and she is so angry. Jessie couldn't sleep after last night, and she is already thinking about confronting Rick. She will remind him that she feels much better than that whore, who he married.

Carlton continues to thrust until he spends himself inside Jessie. She breathes a sigh of relief, and she pats his head. She will be sore the entire day for this pitiful attempt at sex. She feels so frustrated with the turn, which her life took last night.

"What are you going to do about this mess?" Jessie demands while Carlton is lost in post-coital bliss.

"How can they usurp your inheritance that way?" Jessie angrily asks.

How can they usurp her hard-earned money? She fucked this decrepit body for ten years. She risked her happiness with Rick. Her reward can't be a residence in Atlanta and an allowance while that Hollywood bitch receives everything that should belong to Jessie. From Judith's jewellery to Rick's dick, everything should be hers. Jessie knew she was justified in hating Richard senior.

"I have my lawyers working on everything. I worked hard to keep Grimes and Jones up to a standard. An allowance from Richard, Dad must have lost his mind. Morgan took advantage of my father," Carlton angrily replies.

Carlton knows what he deserves, and he can believe that his father would favour Richard. Although, his father favouring Rick has been a part of the reasons why he couldn't stand his son. Rick always stood as an obstacle to Carlton's life. Rick's past with Jessie exacerbated that feeling in Carlton.

"I should try talking to Rick. Resonate with him and see if he is willing to turn on Morgan," Jessie softly proposes.

Although, she has other reasons in mind. She can't lose Rick. Now with his fortune, she even has more reason to want him back. Jessie believes that she can't find her way back to Rick's bed. Michonne is simply a stepping-stone, and she forgives him.

"Why would you go around him? Do you still feel something for him?" Carlton demands with irritation.

He hasn't missed the look, which his wife throws to his son. Carlton saw Jessie go after Rick during the funeral, but he hasn't dared to question his wife. He is afraid to infuriate her.

"Why do you have to blame me for a past mistake?" Jessie indignantly asks, and she moves out of Carlton embrace "Rick was a onetime thing, and he didn't understand it. He fixated on me. When I was drunk and vulnerable, he took advantage of me. I didn't press charge for your father's sake, and I wasn't sure anyone will believe me." She wills the tears while she tells her lies.

They abundantly fall on her cheeks, and Carlton feels apologetic. He drags Jessie back into his arms.

"I simply want to help you even if it means being around Rick. I love you so much, and I will sacrifice so much for you. I know what Grimes and Jones represent for you," Jessie finishes with a magisterial act of guilt trip.

She knows how to manipulate Carlton better than anyone does. She knows his weakness, and she knows how to stroke his ego. How pitiful is it that a man so old can be so insecure and naïve. A simple mention of his son sends him in panic, and the illusion that he has a victory against Rick keeps him content. Carlton disgusts Jessie.

"I will handle it. You don't have to put yourself under any emotional pain. I know that Christmas Eve still haunts you," Carlton softens, as Jessie knew he would, and he automatically shifts the blame onto his son, "I know you care for me. I know you love me. I don't blame you for anything. Richard on the other hand, he has a vendetta against me. He won't hesitate to use you in the process. He will use you to get to me because I love you," Carlton continues to share his delusions.

He deeply believes Rick has a vendetta against him over how he treated his mother. Although, for years Rick idolater his father. Carlton's constant infidelities on his wife started to change Rick's perception of the man.

However, the rift in the relationship came when Carlton abandon his sick wife to his son care. Richard senior never forgave him for such an act of cowardice, and Carlton blamed his son for it too.

"I love you…" Jessie unpassionately replies.

* * *

Shane pushes the bottle of water toward Rick, and he can tell there is something different about Rick. Although, he can pinpoint the difference. Shane throws himself on Rick's couch, and he sits a bottle of beer in front of him. He had no idea why Rick wanted an immediate meeting. Rick returned from king county two days ago, and Shane returned from Japan last night.

"Can you take a look at this?" Rick exchanges a brown envelope with the bottle of water, which Shane pushed in his direction.

"A contestation of a will," Shane read aloud the first line, "Should I check it as your friend or as your lawyer?" He demands as he moves to the next line.

"Whatever suits you? I have had enough of legal matters," Rick exhaustively answers.

After the will's reading, Rick wants to put everything behind him. However, his life is slowly turning into a succession of legal conflict. Rick takes a long sip of his water.

"You won't like what this means. Finish your bottle of water first," Shane warns as he continues to peruse the legal claim contain in the contestation.

"Shane?" Rick hesitantly questions his best friend.

Rick doesn't need more problems. Between the past one and those, which he voluntarily creates, Rick has enough to last a lifetime. He doesn't even want to brush everything regarding the biggest problem in his life, Michonne.

"Your father and a Maggie Rhee are contesting your grandfather's will. The legal notice is to inform you," Shane explains as he puts down the file.

"My dad, I expected nothing else. Maggie comes as a surprise," Rick sighs, and he feels frustrated with the situation.

Obviously, Carlton will contest the will. However, he doesn't understand Maggie's claim. As far as he remembers, Grandpa Richard took her in when she was five. Rick doesn't know the specific, but Carlton one day came with a child. The following day, Rick had a cousin. However, Maggie always has been loyal to Carlton and he should not receive the news as a surprise.

"What happened in king county?" Shane asks as he can sense the anguish.

Shane also knows enough about Rick past to know that the trip must have been difficult. Now, this contestation of will leads Shane to believe that Richard senior's funeral wasn't the worst thing that happened.

"The actual reason behind your presence in my house," Rick says, and he glances at his finger.

Two days and he has not removed his wedding band, and he doesn't feel the need to remove it. He has other sources of preoccupation. He can't rid himself of the thoughts. Rick hasn't spent a day without thinking about Michonne.

"My charming presence wasn't what you were after. You didn't miss me a tiny bit. Feed a man before you break his heart," Shane jokes, and he feigns indignation.

"You think that you're funny," Rick frustratedly says.

"I was funny without my balanced relationship. Now, I'm that friend with a lame joke because he heard them from his girlfriend," Shane responds.

"As far as I know Sasha is funny," Rick takes a jab at Shane.

"If you like the no-nonsense, stern, and quiet type," Shane jokingly replies.

"You know she is your longest relationship," Rick points out.

"The bitterness comes with the longevity, and I say if you like the no-nonsense, stern, and quiet type, which I'm head over heel about," Shane responds

"It hardly three months. Longevity" Rick counters.

"Feels like an eternity and some extra shit. It is fucking good you should try. Find yourself a lady for longer than a night." Shane responds and laughs.

He knows how Rick has a sworn hatred for relationships. However, he does have an active sexual life.

"That is rich coming from you. My 'relationship' lasted more hours than anything you had before Sasha," Rick counters.

He does like to think about his coping mechanism, and sex happens to be an excellent way to maintain his control. Which is why he had to do the most self-destructive thing and have sex with Michonne. He anticipated the consequences, but this is beyond what he ever foresaw. This craving has turned to an ache, and he hates the meaning, which that night has started to take in his mind.

"Yeah… I can't argue that one. So what happened in king county that needs my expertise," Shane returns to their previous topic.

"I need to get a divorce," Rick says, and Shane freezes.

He stares at Rick expecting the statement to be a joke. Rick Grimes, who can't handle any form of relationship, is married. There is a succession of question racing to his mind.

"And I thought this type of statement followed a trip in Vegas," Shane bursts into a laugh.

"Shane?" Rick chastises his friend, and the situation already annoys Rick enough.

"Look, let me find joy in this. God knows you never let me live down my thirty-six hours marriage with a stripper. I deserved to enjoy the ripe fruit of karma," Shane continues to laugh at Rick's misfortune.

"Don't even think our situation is similar. I was blackmailed into it. Grandpa Richard had this ludicrous idea, and it was a close to his will too," Rick clarifies.

"Look out, you're marrying for money and shit… so you were the stripper in the king county version of the fast wedding. Richard Grimes junior full of surprise." Shane ignores Rick's frustration, and he continues mocking the situation.

"Shane, this is serious." He exhaustively says.

"Therefore, I'm seriously asking who the lucky bird is," Shane replies, and he barely contains a laugh.

"Michonne Jones, Grandpa Morgan's granddaughter," Rick answers with frustration.

Every passing second, he regrets talking to Shane.

"Jailbait Michonne… your walking wet dream… and you want a divorce. I always knew you were a dumbass, but you have surpassed my expectation… jailbait Michonne," Shane demands confirmation.

He looks at Rick, and he waits for the announcement that everything is a prank. Although, Rick is unfazed by Shane's antics. He wants everything to be over before he takes his next breath. Rick wants that divorce completed before he becomes used to the idea of being married.

"Get out, Shane," Rick demands in frustration.

"I can't be punished for baring the truth… did you have sex?" Shane doesn't move, and he takes a sip of his beer.

He places his feet on Rick's table to prove a point. Rick sighs, and he regrets calling Shane. He is about to have a conversation that will infuriate him. Rick can foresee it after a glance at the grin spreading on Shane's lips

"The relevance of that question," Rick demands.

He doesn't want to revisit that night, but he hasn't done anything else for the last two days. After the debacle with Jessie, Rick never attached any emotions to sex. Aside from the desire to be in control, sex is mostly a meaningless act to Rick. He has had great sex through the years, but nothing ever felt as glorious. He never poured so much emotion into the act.

The worst part was the aftermath. The hours, which he spent watching Michonne sleep. The act of watching her sleep felt too natural. Her petite body firmly pressed against his body, everything felt too perfect. Rick felt scared, and he felt regrets for losing a chance at these ten years ago. He couldn't stand it, and the pain became oppressive, which was the reason why he drafted that ridiculous note. He couldn't stand the perfection of Michonne sleeping in his arms.

"Ground for annulment, and we had a betting pool. Daryl thought that you were holding onto sex until her eighteenth birthday… I knew you were no predator so I betted on the wedding night. Almost lost hope on that one," Shane nonchalantly replies.

Rick stares at his friend, and he is unsure of what he heard. He knew he was creating unnecessary complications.

"Y'all ain't shit. She was 17 years old," Rick points out.

"I wasn't the one in a fully committed relationship with a teenager. That was you," Shane defends himself.

"I avoided her like the plague that year what are you talking about," Shane's statement seriously confuses Rick.

"See a healthy couple. Michonne needs this and that. I have never seen anyone so dedicated to his cousin's best friend. No lie, we thought you were fucking on the low," Shane explains, and Rick continues to be appalled by what he hears.

"She was seventeen years old. What is wrong with you people? If I thought one of you was with a seventeen-year-old trust me I will be calling the police and her parents on you," Rick says with a frustrated glare directed toward Shane.

"Which is why I said you will be waiting for the wedding to pluck that flower," Shane responds unbothered by Rick statement.

"I don't want to hear more of this. Can you handle the divorce or not," Rick sighs and he waits for Shane's answer.

"I can, but I will advise you to wait until that will issue is solved," Shane answers.

He checks the contestation for a second time, and he returns the file to Rick. From the few lines, which he has read, Shane can predict the mess that will come out of it.

"Also this came," Rick pushes another letter toward Shane.

"A court order," Shane says when he reads the last line.

"I don't know how much is this inheritance, but your father desperately wants it. This is a court order to proceed with an autopsy on your grandfather," Shane returns the piece of paper to Rick.

"Is there a way to stop him? Why would he want grandpa grave dug up," Rick demands?

He no longer knows if his father has an ounce of moral. Why would he go to such length over an inheritance?

"Yeah…but it won't look good if you go in a civil court for contestation. Everyone will think that you have something to hide," Shane explains, and he questioningly stares at Rick, "You don't have something to hide, right? You didn't kill an old man for his money after he graciously played matchmaker for you and the woman of your dream. I know the money can be tempting, but that would be low. You're my moral compass; I look up to you and shit," Shane can't keep his seriousness.

"Shane, fuck off," Rick responds.

"Well congratulation on the wedding, and I know you fucked. You have that post glow, which you never get from all that non-marital sex," Shane continues to mock Rick as he stands to leave Rick's place.

"You don't make sense," Rick says frustrated.

"I will send you my bill for all this legal business, and I'm charging extra because I'm helping you make a dumbass move. Who divorces their biggest crush and America sweetheart? Guess it a dumbass. Although, you will have to wait until you can settle this contestation," Shane says by the door.

…

Jessie holds on the piece of paper tightly while she makes her way to Pete's office. She can't believe what that old decrepit man did. Carlton Grimes is useless, and since the will's reading, she regrets more and more marrying him.

"Fix this?" She shoves the piece of paper against Pete's chest.

Pete looks up, and he doesn't understand the reason behind her visit. He even less understands the reason for her fury. He takes the piece of paper, and he starts to read it.

"Fix what?" He demands as he reads line after line.

"For once in your life, be of use to me Pete," Jessie shouts in frustration.

She starts pacing back and forth. Jessie glares at Pete, and she waits for his contribution. Pete puts the piece of paper down, and he doesn't know what Jessie expects of him. He doesn't know if it is another tantrum or she wants to rant about having sex with Carlton.

"Read it…fucking read it," Jessie takes back the piece of paper, and she shoves it into Pete's face.

She has never been so furious, and she can't express it how angry she feels. How did that fool of Carlton decide to disregard her advice?

"A court order for an autopsy," Pete reads aloud, and Jessie implodes.

The pacing increases and she grabs the first object that she can and throws it against the wall.

"He had to do it. That old wrinkle idiot had to do it." She shouts.

"What is going on?" Pete stares in confusion.

However, her outburst of anger doesn't come as a surprise. This is the Jessie, who he knows. Unstable and sometimes, he believes her to be psychotic.

"Carlton requested an autopsy on Richard Senior's body," Jessie quietly replies after taking a deep breath.

"Why… Jessie, you told me it was without risk. Just keep him from treatment and it'll be over. No, they will see that he was untreated…" Pete starts to panic, and Jessie glares at him.

"Shut up, you think that is our biggest problem. Do you think that his death before a hospital transfer was a coincidence? I wanted to protect you," Jessie says as she sits on Pete's desk, and she takes his face in her hands.

She kisses him with as much passion as she can muster, and she spews her usual lies.

"I wanted to protect you," Jessie whispers between kisses

"Jessie?" Pete confusedly asks.

"You have to help me back…" She kisses him with desperation "you have to help me hide it." She starts to unzip her blouse.

"How?" Pete pries his lips away from Jessie's one, and he isn't as stupid as her husband is.

If he heard Jessie right, she confessed Richard senior's murder. How does she want him to help? Does she think he will incriminate himself for her beautiful eyes? Pete moves away from Jessie. He will not fall for her old tricks.

"This is going to go to pathology. I have no power to prevent it," Pete tells Jessie.

He also has no intention to become complicit. An actual physical murder goes beyond what he agreed to help her. She is going to fall alone. Pete won't allow Jessie to take him in her fall.

"Of what use are you to me if you can't do anything to protect me," Jessie demands, and she zips back up her blouse.

Every ounce of care disappears in her eyes, and the vindication returns with great strength.

"Jessie…" Pete attempts to calm her.

"I will handle it myself I guess." She leaves the room with a threatening glance in Pete's direction.

* * *

Michonne doesn't know why she agreed to meet him in a restaurant at night, but she expected to discuss her upcoming project. She blows the smoke of her cigarette, and her mind escapes the conversation with Philip.

After everything, he continues to believe that he has some control over her. Michonne closes her eyes, and she sighs. Sasha was right, and it was a bad idea to keep Philip has a manager. Michonne doesn't want to have a conversation about how they were great when it was great. She takes a big gulp of her wine, and she tries to ignore Philip.

"Look, I'm not asking you to leave your husband. I'm not stupid, and I see of what use he can be to us. I'm simply telling you that I'm willing to share. I will keep it a secret between us," Philip reaches for Michonne's hand.

"I have no one to blame but…" Michonne stops mid-sentence when she notices a familiar face.

A set of angry blue eyes stares at her, and Michonne can't take her eyes away from Rick who is across the restaurant. She didn't see him when she arrived, and he seems to have arrived in the last minutes. He has his eyes on Philip and her.

Michonne draws a deep breath, and she gulps what remains of her wine. Philip attempts to gain back her attention, and he frames her face with his hand. Rick stares at the pair, and Michonne stares at Rick. For a second Rick and Michonne can't avert their eyes from each other.

"Philip, enough…" Michonne pushes Philip's hand away from her face.

She calls for the waiter and asks for something stronger than wine. How does he dare to stare at her and directs accusations to her? When Michonne returns her eyes on Rick, he is engrossed in a conversation with another man.

"Are you listening to me?" Philip grabs Michonne chin, and he forces her to look at him.

"No…I'm not listening to you, and I don't intend to listen to you," Michonne bluntly answers, and she returns her glance to the table where Rick sits.

He is back at staring at her, and he glares at Philip's hand. Michonne drains the tumbler of scotch, which the waiter brought for her, and she asks for another one. She didn't expect to meet Rick so soon.

His lawyer yet to contact her, and she has yet to forget about their night. The tension in the room pulls on every muscle in her body, and she wants to ignore Rick. However, she can't. Tired of what Rick assumes to be cosiness between Philip and Michonne, he stands from his table and heads to the bathroom.

"Philip, I think I will no longer need your services. You can find another gullible girl," Michonne says as she rushes to follow Rick.

She picks her tumbler, and she needs the courage to have this conversation. Michonne empties the scotch in one gulp. Her body is warm, and her mind is a bit foggy. However, she feels brave enough to confront Rick and express her frustration. She is tired of being his personal doormat.

* * *

The liquid courage in her bloodstream or the anger pushes Michonne to follow Rick in the male bathroom. She locks the door to prevent anyone from coming in, and she mostly wants to prevent Rick from leaving.

"Can I talk to you?" She says when she manages to climb on the sink.

Rick zips his pant back up, and he looks at the woman sitting on the sink. He takes a deep breath, and he forbids himself to touch her. She looks as gorgeous as she did the last time he saw her. He wants her the same way he did the last time or even more because he knows how glorious having her feels.

"Michonne?" Rick feigns nonchalance.

However, he internally weathers a storm. He doesn't know what he wants to do. Rick doesn't know if he should passionately kiss her to remind her why every other man would live her unsatisfied, or if he should express all his frustration for her siege of his mind. Rick decides to do nothing, and he heads for the locked door.

"Why don't you listen to me?" Michonne leaves the sink, and she pulls Rick back. "Why don't you tell what is wrong?" She shoves Rick away with frustration. "I will fix it. I will fix us." She reaches for his face and frames his face. "I will fix us if you let me," Michonne's thumbs caress Rick's lips.

He wants to trust her words, and he will love to give in everything, which has kept him awake this last week. Rick wants to believe that Michonne can't fix everything. However, he takes a step back and chooses to guard himself against her.

"Are you drunk?" Rick asks Michonne, and his voice is full of condescension.

His question is a harsh verbal slap. Michonne frees Rick, and she puts some distance between them. She needs to breathe.

"Am I drunk? It is not of relevance right now," Michonne replies.

Rick sighs and heads for the door. Michonne stops him again, and she is frustrated. She is drunk, and her mood is as precarious as her balance. Tonight, she will force him to listen to her.

"I'm working right now, and I don't have time for this," Rick says with growing irritation, and he swats Michonne's hand away from his arm.

The last thing, which he expected to happen during a scheduled business meeting, was to find his wife and her boyfriend having a cosy couple moment. He spent an entire week agonizing over Michonne, and she spends her week with another man. He does need to add more grievance to the list.

"For what Rick…" Michonne asks with an edge to her voice, and Rick questioningly stares at her.

"You don't time for what Richard…" Michonne's voice rises and she throws her left heel at Rick, who miraculously dodges it.

Her grandfather is right. She has had enough, and he deserves to have his was whooped for making her jump through woes. Michonne removes her other shoe. Rick stares at Michonne as if she has lost her mind.

"You don't have time for me… you don't have time for me." She throws the shoe in her hand, and Rick dodges it again.

She takes a deep breath, and she tells herself that Rick Grimes can't be the cause of her growing insanity. However, she is so frustrated.

"You have made it abundantly clear," Michonne attempts to calm herself, but every time she thinks about the morning after he made love to her.

She isn't stupid or delusional. Although, she tried to convince herself that she was being one of those things. She knows the difference between making love and fucking. What Rick did that night was the former. She feels so disrespected and furious.

"A note…a freaking note," Michonne shoves Rick, but he barely moves.

…

….

…

He tries to regain his countenance. Rick convinces himself that he has no reason to entertain her when she is drunk. Once again, he tries to leave the room, but she stops him.

"If you want to talk, we will do so when you sober and in other company than your boyfriend," Rick allows some of his frustration to slip through his answer.

"Why do you make me go through this?" Michonne waves her arm around the male bathroom. "What is it? I'm not good enough for you." She pulls on Rick's tie so he can look at her.

She hates it when he refuses to look at. She also hates it when he looks at her. A confused individual, this is who Rick Grimes has turned her into in a week.

"I'm not her, and I don't get wet for your father… Do I have to sleep with Carlton to get more than a note?" Michonne spits the word with as much venom as she can.

She pushes Rick away multiple time until she breaks his restraint. Rick grabs her arms, and he immobilizes her.

"Michonne, enough," Rick orders, but she is too furious to quiet her emotions

"Every time …Every time... it doesn't matter now or ten years ago. It doesn't matter… it doesn't matter. I'm the dumb one forgive you the time of the day. I'm dumb for caring for your worthless ass. I was dumb then, and I'm a whole clown now," Michonne exhaustively pours her heart out.

"Are you done?" Rick demands

Michonne can no longer take it. She can no longer suppress her tears. They were meant to fall. Rick Grimes knows how to twist the knife. He knows how to hurt her better than anyone does.

"Not until you tell me what I did to you. Tell me what I did to you." She demands.

"Why didn't you come to me that night?" Rick releases Michonne, and he walks the furthest away from her.

He doesn't know why he feels the need to answer her question. A week spent thinking about her. Seven days spent craving every inch of her skin. Perhaps, he is exhausted. Therefore, he obeys to her demand. He responds to her anguish by throwing his pain at her feet.

"So I could make a fool of myself. Therefore, I could help give you that joy. After the show you put on for me, I was supposed to confront you. How would it have gone?" Michonne responds with as much fury as she can display.

"If you had asked me. I would have told you that I was drunk out of mind. I felt too sick to move. I felt drunk enough to cross the inappropriate line to kiss. I was too drunk to do anything beyond laying on the sofa where you left me," Rick whispers those words.

Even when Carlton confronted him, he didn't dare to detail the night. However, Michonne demanded to know. The week has left him vulnerable, and she has left him vulnerable.

"If you had asked me…If only you had confirmed your fact before running to Carlton, you would have known that she dragged me into that room. I was too out of it to move. If you had asked, I would have told you how I dodged every time that she tried to kiss me... I would have told you how she grabbed my face and shoved her tongue while I begged her to get off me. You would have known how hard I tried to get her off me until my arm felt like cotton. I tried until I couldn't move. I tried until it felt pointless…and I tried until I had an escape… You were standing there you were the escape." Rick can't breathe, and the words come out as breathy whispers.

He doesn't dare to look at Michonne. Everything will feel too real. He doesn't want to relieve that night, and he feels so vulnerable. This is what Michonne makes to him. She renders him vulnerable. She demanded to know, and so he has to dig every crevice of his mind. He has to uproot his fragile balance.

"If you had asked before running your mouth to tell my father than I was in love with Jessie for months, you would have known that she harassed me for weeks. She would follow me everywhere. You didn't care enough to ask. You cared about your little-broken heart. You cared about your ego." The accusations resurface, and his anger weakens his voice.

"You cared about everything but what it could have meant for me. You already knew Carlton wouldn't think to punish his new shiny toy. They were always his priority. You wanted to punish me for breaking your heart, and you ran to my father. Congratulations, I was truly punished," Rick finally looks at Michonne.

"Get out of my house or I will make sure to have you arrested for taking advantages of her. Fund closed, no roof on my head, and the entire house thinking I'm a rapist. Merry Christmas to me," Rick finishes speaking.

He has never told a word to anyone. He would have told her if she didn't demand to know. Now, she knows what she did to him. She didn't care enough for him. She simply didn't allow him to tell his version. If no one believed him, she would have. He knew it, and he hoped it. However, she didn't believe the person, who he fought so hard to remain for her.

"I never said a word to Carlton," Michonne reaches for Rick, but the distance is beyond a physical one. "I was angry, but I wouldn't have done that after what happened with your mother. I was mad. I was heartbroken. I was disappointed. I was seventeen years old. What was I supposed to believe? One second you're kissing me and the next second you're… Yes, I ran with what I saw. I did what any girl with a broken girl do. I talked to my best friend," Michonne tries to reach Rick, but he pushes her hand away.

He doesn't want to feel vulnerable. Once was enough, and he never wants to feel like that Christmas Eve.

"I told Maggie and no one else. She swore that she wouldn't tell a soul. I made her swear to keep it between her and me. I told no one else but Maggie…only Maggie…I told no one..." Michonne repeats and she doesn't know what can fix this.

She doesn't know how to take his pain away, and Michonne wants to take it all. She wants to destroy these haunting memories. She wants to take back her jab about him having sex with Jessie. She wants to kill Jessie. She ultimately wants to fix what Jessie broke because Rick believes that Michonne can fix it.

"Doesn't change much to the past. Now, that you have heard it, can I return to my table?" Rick closes himself to Michonne.

"You hate me on principle. I can't fix it…I can't fix that. To you it doesn't matter if I'm guilty, it has to be me. Jessie, Maggie, Carlton or anyone else won't do. I can't fix it. How am I supposed to fix us?" She questions Rick.

"Michonne, stop," Rick refuses to pursue the conversation.

"You don't care, and you want me to be guilty. Only me?" Michonne insists

"Michonne, stop," Rick is exhausted.

"I'm sorry," She kisses him, and he can help how he react to her.

Rick returns Michonne's kiss. He holds onto her with desperation. His fingers sink in her dreadlocks, and he pushes her against the bathroom wall. He presses her body against his. He kisses her with abandon. Michonne is not naïve. This is not forgiveness. He is trying to drown her under his frustration. He wants her to feel as weak as he feels after reliving his trauma. He kisses her until they both can breathe. His forehead rest against her. Their breaths intermingle at every pant.

"It's not enough…" Michonne knowingly says, and she reads him in his eyes. "Tell me what you want. Tell me what you want me to do, Rick." She doesn't know what will salvage what Jessie destroyed.

"I want you completely out of my life. I want a semblance of control. I can't have that with you around. Michonne, please…please… " Rick grazes his lips against hers, and he pushes his body away from her.

"Okay…"

* * *

Rick's phone rings, and he groans. The night was rough enough, and he picks his phone without checking on the id.

"Hello?" Rick answers half asleep.

"Are we speaking to Mr Richard Grimes Junior?" The interlocutor demands.

The use of his full name arouses Rick's mind. He checks his phone screen to identify the caller, but the caller is unknown. He heart constricts for a second, and he sits down.

"Yeah… What is going on?" Rick hesitantly demands

"This is agent Davis of the NYPD. We're calling you in regard to a traffic accident." The interlocutor answers.

"I haven't been involved in a traffic accident," Rick answers slight confused by the situation.

"One of the victims' social security card was pulled out. We believe her to be your wife. Your presence to New York Presbyterian is needed for legal decisions concerning her management. " Agent Davis explains.

From the moment when Rick hears the word wife, his mind freezes. What follows is Rick's mechanically reacting to the situation. He knows to grab a shirt, and he picks his car keys. He forgets his shoes and to lock his house.

He miraculously remembers how to drive. He speeds through the streets of New York, and he finds himself in a hospital lobby. Panicked and out breath, the tears pool in the corner of his eyes. He remains calm enough to handle the situation.

"Hi…where is my wife. They brought her here after a traffic accident," Rick asks the nurse with desperation.

"What is your wife name?" The nurse calmly asks Rick.

"Michonne… Michonne Jones…Michonne Grimes." He has no idea what name she has started to use since their marriage.

"We have a Michonne Grimes." The nurse answers and she quickly goes through the admission list.

Rick's mind holds on a small detail for its sanity. Michonne Grimes and she is his wife. She is his Michonne. He needs her to stay in his life. He was being irrational.

"Emergency Department, trauma surgery." The nurse gives the details to Rick.

"Rick Grimes, they have been waiting for you." She says while Rick rushes to the emergency department.

…

…

Rick is too emotionally distress to recognize Philip in one of the room. He doesn't care for his surrounding, and he rushes toward the room, which the nurses told him he could find Michonne.

"Michonne… that is my wife," Rick shouts when the hospital staff holds him back.

He can see her feet, but there is medical personnel surrounding her. His heart is at the edge of an arrest. He can't lose her. He was being irrational when he told those words. He swears he will fix them. He will work on what is wrong. He doesn't matter if he is unable to feel any control around her. He will tell how to fix what he can't fix on his own.

"You can't get in. We are trying to stabilize her, and we need you to sign the consent form so they can proceed with her treatment." The male nurse tells Rick.

Rick is on the verge to follow the nurse when he hears that strident sound. It echoes above anything. It drowns his heartbeat. He can only focus on her feet. His wife…His Michonne… He can't lose her, and he is supposed to have a future with her.

"Can you hear me?" The nurse asks Rick.

Rick can only hear the whistle sound from the monitor, and he stares at her feet. His wife…his Michonne…she needs to come back because he has been the ultimate asshole, but he can't be a good husband. He will take care of her as he promised Richard senior.

"What is going on?" Rick finally finds his words.

"Emergency department, trauma surgery. Doctor Siddiq al-saif. Matriculation 156987 requires the CPR cart and a reanimation team in room b137." He hears coming from Michonne's room

"What is going on?" Rick attempts to enter the room, but the nurse holds him back.

"What is happening to my wife?" Rick demands in panic

"Nothing is happening to your wife, Mr Grimes." The nurse calmly tells Rick. "But she is stable and with a broken arm. However, she lost too much blood and we need to induce an artificial coma."

"Why do they need to reanimate her?" Rick refuses to trust the nurse.

"This is a triage room. Your wife isn't the only patient there, and you're standing in the way."

 **Ps: I wouldn't do you dirty like that... Michonne is fine**


	9. Chapter 9

**It is back, and y'all can stop stressing about if I'm continuing this fic.**

 **Thanks for reviewing and patiently ( some) waiting.**

 **I don't own the walking dead.**

 **Please, review**

* * *

 **Chapter VIII: Waking up to a tragedy?**

* * *

Rick has not slept in a couple of days, and he waits for Michonne to wake up. However, she is taking her sweet time. Rick does not know what will claim his sanity first. Between the guilt, the exhaustion, and the anxiety, his mind is losing focus. Rick has not slept in a couple of days, and he waits for Michonne to wake up. However, she is taking her sweet time. Rick does not know what will claim his sanity first. Between the guilt, the exhaustion, and the anxiety, his mind is losing focus.

"Hey," He whispers to Michonne's sleeping form as he abruptly wakes up.

Slight disorientation falls on his brain, and he has slept little in the last days. He pushes the hair away from Michonne's face, and Rick wonders if the fear to lose her will eventually disappear. He slides his fingers between hers, and her warmth reminds him that they avoided the worst.

"Anytime would be fine by me, Chonne," Rick softly says.

Rick has not said the nickname in years, but he finds nothing more appropriate than it does now. Rick clutches Michonne's hand, and her regular breathing sounds fill Rick's ear. Rick demands a form of comfort from her, and he does not know how to cope with anxiety and pain without Michonne. He has never done it before, and he ought to learn.

"This is a bit dramatic," He sighs, and his fingers brush more hair away from Michonne's visage, "You made your point, and I was dumb."

His forefinger carefully explores the small cuts along her skin, and the wounds have begun to heal. In a few days, the signs and marks of her car crash will start to fade. Rick ignores the discomfort in his chest, and he wants to think of Michonne as a priority.

Rick has forgotten the number of conversations, which he has had with a sleeping Michonne. He does not want to continue having those one-sided conversations. Rick releases Michonne's hand, and he rises from the chair, which he has hardly left in two days.

His back hurts, and his five o'clock shadow has begun to become a beard. Aside from the quick showers that he took in the bathroom adjacent of her hospital room, Rick has not spent a second away from Michonne. Sasha's offers to take over for a few minutes have drawn out of him the worst reactions.

"I was talking out of my ass," Rick returns to his seat, and he does not feel like being away from Michonne, "You heard me, Chonne."

Michonne remains unresponsive, and only the rising of her chest stops Rick from having another panic attack. He has to deal with a set of conflicting emotions. Despite everything happening, Rick's anger has not completely dissolved.

" Hey Mimi, I don't know how many times I have to say it," Rick exhales, and the words continue to feel wrong, " This is not a broken arm, and you won't feel better with an extra amount of coconut ice cream." He clasps Michonne's hand to the point that he might break a few fingers.

Everything is an oddity, and Rick does not want to explore their past. He is not afraid of the past from ten years ago, but that happy past when everything was simple terrifies him. Rick looks at Michonne, and he does not remember when he has looked at her without an ounce of anger. Even now, there is anger, but it is a dull feeling. He is angry with her for listening to him.

"You still like coconut ice cream," Rick has exhausted the topics, "of course you still do, and I read it in an article." He confesses.

Rick stares at Michonne, and he wants her to respond to his confession. He would settle for a smile or scorn. Now, he does not care. Two days have started to feel like an eternity.

"I did it once and only once. It was a small kiosk by the company, and you were in cover. Something about fifty things about you, and I knew forty-six. I am sure you lied about the four other things because I still remember everything." Rick sighs, and he is too exhausted to bottle up those emotions.

"I tried hard to forget, and I mean forget everything about you. I wanted all of it gone, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I saw that cover, and it all came back. Those thangs, those feelings, and you came back." The more Rick speaks; the more his accent polished by years away from home returns.

"You were on that cover smiling. I couldn't erase it. I almost remembered the good. It was a random day when I missed you. I do that sometimes. When the anger goes away for a second, I think about you. I think of home, and I can't remember our home without thinking of you." Rick stops talking.

He has never said any of these words to anyone including himself. He believes that Michonne won't remember a word. Telling Michonne how much he hates her is simpler than admitting that he is on the fences. It is a euphemism, and he has never been in between when it came to Michonne. Sometimes, he loves her in a way, which crushes his heart, and the other times, he hates her with the same passion.

"I eventually get angry with you. I get angry about missing you. It pisses me off to know forty-six things about you. After, I feel like shit for everything." He continues his cathartic confession.

Rick stares at Michonne, and he needs her to acknowledge him. He always needs a form of acknowledgement. He admits that he went about it wrong, and the will to correct his wrongdoings might have started to rise.

"It will be easier to forget you and move on with my life. You know to leave everything and start from scratch. I would build a home with a sweet girl, but I can't because I don't know how to forget you. I think of home, and you are in every thought. So I never wanted to go back, but sometimes when I only remember the good, I miss you." Rick explains, and he scraps beyond the surface.

Michonne continues to sleep, and Rick has spent every second awake. He does not think anyone can watch over her as he does, and Grandpa Morgan has enough on his plate with Carlton. Rick's fingers disappear in Michonne's dreadlocks. She still smells like blooming flowers and vanilla under the sterile product on her wounds.

"I lied, I lied, and I'm sorry for lying. I don't want you completely out of my life, but it hurts too much to try. I hurt, and I don't know how to stop it. I don't know how to stop hurting you. It would be easier if…" He stops speaking, and no words are fitting for raw emotions, which he needs to express.

Rick does not want to face judgement in Michonne's eyes. Her eyes haunted him for ten years, and Rick remembers the sheer tear coating them.

"Now, you are my wife. Grandpa was right. I wanted this. I wanted a home with you, and I saw that hope evaporate in your eyes. You saw everything, and I couldn't erase that. Since you are so fond of doing what I ask of you, Mimi, wake up, please." He presses his thumbs to his eyelid, and he stops the tears "I lo…" he never gets to finish his sentence.

A knock at the door interrupts Rick, and he reluctantly leaves Michonne's side to go open it. He carefully pries a way his fingers from Michonne's hand after kissing her knuckles.

"Please, wake up." He whispers like a prayer.

…

…

…

Rick opens the door, and he steps out of the room. Two officers stand in front of him, and Rick crosses his arms. He waits for the information, which they might offer about his wife's accident. During the chaos of that night, Rick didn't care for the circumstances. He only wanted to make sure that Michonne was safe.

"We were hoping to speak to your wife," The officer, who Rick recognised as Davis, says.

"She has not emerged yet, but I have the legal right to know why you need to speak to my wife," Rick asks, and he already thinks about Michonne's best interest.

Rick senses that something is off with the officers. Perhaps, he is paranoid. However, he decides to establish a clear line to avoid any misconceptions.

"Well…" The second officer, Morales, clears his throat, and he carefully thinks about what he has to say, "In the accident, which involved your wife, there was a second vehicle involved. Unfortunately, the passenger of the second car has died, and we are now investigating involuntary manslaughter. We need to interrogate your wife to corroborate the version of the other passenger in her car."

Rick's brows furrow, and there is already too much on his plate. Exhausted, he leans against the door of Michonne's hospital room. How things can escalate so quickly? Rick sighs, and he knows the type of trouble, which Michonne can find herself with this affair. He remembers how drunk she was, and after their conversation, she pushed herself to the edge.

"The other passenger?" Rick asks with slight confusion, and he does not know the specific of Michonne's car accident.

Morales looks at Davis, and the exchange between them is quick. Rick hides his exasperation.

"Philip Blake," Davis supplies for Rick. "Your wife's manager was with her during the accident."

Rick's visage is blank, and he does not show any emotions in relation to his worries.

"Is there any charges against my wife?" He asks with growing anxiety.

"We are here to establish that, but we will rather talk to your wife before anything," Morales replies.

Rick does not like the police officer, and he senses the unsaid. He does not know Philip Blake, but he does not trust the man. From their brief interaction, Rick has his suspicion on the man's character.

"Well, my wife is still in the coma, and when she wakes up, I will prefer a convocation in the presence of my lawyers rather than a visit of courtesy." Rick calmly states.

He has previously dealt with the justice system. With his anger issues, Rick has been in his fair share of conflicts. He knows how cops work, and he does not like what he senses.

"Anything else officers?" Rick asks with exasperation, and he wants to return by Michonne's side.

"No, we will prepare the convocation," Morales says as a form of a threat, which would amuse Rick in any other circumstance.

However, Michonne is in the centre of a potential mess, and Rick's mind is going through endless possibilities of disasters. Rick's protectiveness of Michonne roars and so many buried feelings are resurfacing.

"And I will keep my lawyers informed." Rick smiles, and he returns to the room without any words of courtesy.

…

…

…

 **I will need you to handle a few things for me.** Rick immediately texts Shane.

 **What did you do this time?** Shane answers back, and Rick has not been in any judiciary trouble in years.

 **Not I and I only need to protect my wife's interests.** He sends as an answer, and Rick starts to explain his fear concerning the situation.

 **The cops came, and Michonne was involved in a car accident with a victim. Their way of talking about manslaughter. I swear they look as if they wanted her to be the guilty party.** Rick points out what he didn't like about the two officers demeanour.

 **Anything else aside from protecting 'your wife' juicy behind.** Shane replies.

 **I will tell you more when we share a drink, but I need you on it.** Rick sends his text, and his mind is on what Philip could have said.

He is Michonne's ex or current boyfriend, and Rick can't help his bitter thoughts. His first impression of the man was not the best, but he doubts that Philip would say anything against Michonne. However, the confidence, which these officers showed, increases Rick's suspicion.

* * *

Morgan raises his head at the echo of steps, and he already feels the exhaustion claim his mind. Carlton waltzes into the office of his late father's best friend.

His antagonizing glare announces some drama, which Morgan does not care much for now.

"Carlton," Morgan sighs, and he is not in the best disposition for the other arrogant man, "What brings you here?" The question sounds like a disguised manner to ask him to leave.

"What brings me here?" Carlton repeats as he takes in the spacious office.

Richard senior's office is right across, and Carlton feels robbed each time he lays eyes on his father's empty office. Richard Grimes senior was many things, but until now, Carlton never believed his father was a fool.

There are only two reasons why his father would prefer Rick to him. What did his son had done through the years? Carlton knows little of Rick's life, and his professional success sounds like another lie. His father was a fool for letting the Jones steals what he built.

"This is my father's company." Carlton petulantly replies.

"This is your son and I company," He corrects Carlton.

The simple mention of Rick drains the blood from Carlton's face. He can't help the bitterness coating his throat, and his look carries malice.

"How can I forget about your little arrangement?" He sarcastically spits the words, "Your whore of a granddaughter against my dad's share. My dumb son could say no." He continues bitterly, and he has so much to say. "I don't think you care much, but do you know the man that is Rick." He questions and the blue of his eyes hardens.

Morgan shakes his head, and he has no intention to play with his late best friend's son.

"If I wanted to know anything about Richard junior, I would not choose you as a source. You think it is not visible how jealous of your son you are. It used to hurt your father that he did not teach how to be a good father and husband." A deep sight punctuates Morgan's statement. "I think he failed to teach you how to be a good man. If you came to tell me your lies about Richard junior, you find the way in, and so I suppose you know the way out."

Carlton does not respect Morgan's demand. He pulls a chair, and he makes a show of sitting on it. Morgan leans in his chair, and he waits for Carlton to do anything stupid. He expects nothing from Carlton but stupidity.

"Are you scared old man?" Carlton asks as his fingers run on the edge of Morgan's desk. "You should be, and the truth will surface. As soon as we can unearth my father, the autopsy will reveal that you killed him." He accuses with a glee, which leaves Morgan unfazed.

Morgan looks at Carlton, and he wonders how such a man can be Richard senior son. Every second, it becomes obvious why the responsibility to lead the company fell on Rick.

"You will expose the truth. What truths are you going to expose Carlton?" Morgan can't help but laugh at the delusion, "Bless your heart, son, for being a fool. Even when the truth stares at you, you can't recognize it. If you have said it all, get out of my office. Exposing the truth…" Morgan incredulously stares at Carlton.

"It is not over. You and my son are going to pay. "Carlton raises his voice, and he almost reaches for Morgan's collar.

"Until we do, tend to your wounds, son." Morgan deliberately stares at the bruise fading on Carlton's face, "and please I need your bank account number, and so Rick can handle your allowance payment."

Carlton does not respond, and he has nothing to say to it. He furiously walks out of the office.

* * *

"This is the worst hangover," Michonne whines, and her words are mere whispers.

Between her throbbing head and her aching flank, Michonne feels like a car run over her body. She coughs for a few seconds, and it is painful. She considers quitting alcohol, but not immediately.

"Mimi," Sasha says with relief, and she rushes to her cousin's side, "You finally woke up."

Michonne is slightly confused, and the disorientation sets in her mind. There is a sheer fog on her mind, and she remembers little of everything. Michonne remembers her argument with Rick, and after it, there is a lot of wine and the dark.

"Rick…" She says aloud, and Michonne almost believes that they are still in the restaurant bathroom.

Sasha catches Michonne's hand, and she presses the intercom to inform the nurse. Michonne looks around the room, and she wants to make sense of the situation. She does not know where she is. Michonne feels a bit light headed, and her memories stop around her argument with Rick. He wanted her out of his life. She swallows hard, and maybe she will need more alcohol.

"Mimi, don't move." Sasha rapidly pushes her back on the bed when she tries to rise from the hospital bed.

Ultimately, Michonne notices Sasha. She scratches her mind to know how she made it to her cousin's house. Since her break up with Philip, Michonne moved to Sasha's home and left the apartment, which she shared with her ex-boyfriend. Philip, she remembers him following her when she went out to call a taxi.

"Hey, Sasha, it's not the best moment for a lecture." Michonne warns, "I had a rough night, and well, I deserve to have vodka for breakfast." She finishes with apathy.

The nurse enters the room before Sasha can reply. She walks up to Michonne, and she carefully begins to take Michonne's vital signs.

"What is going on right now?" Michonne asks, and nothing makes sense.

"Can you tell me where you are, Mrs Grimes?" The nurse asks as she continues her assessment of Michonne.

Michonne looks around her, and she can't tell the location. The room is spacious. There are several sofas and a couch. She would say a hotel room if on her arm there was not an IV, and there is a nurse. Did the day finally come where she drunk beyond measure? She was so furious last night, and Michonne needed those drinks.

"A hospital, I think." She hesitates, but she glances at the nurse to make her point.

The nurse scratches something on a paper. Michonne blinks a bit, and she is trying to understand what she is doing in a hospital.

"Do you know today's date, Mrs Grimes?" The nurse adds.

Michonne glances at Sasha for a little help. She begins quietly to panic.

"Mrs Grimes?" She asks in confusion, and she wonders how it came out that her husband is Richard Grimes junior. "I don't know." Michonne answers the nurse's question, "What is going on now?" The panic resonates in Michonne's voice.

"That is okay, Mrs Grimes." The nurse reassures her, "You were in a car accident, and the paramedic brought you to our hospital unconscious. You are recovering from a car accident at New York Presbyterian."

Michonne looks at Sasha for confirmation, and she feels enough pain to trust the nurse. Michonne cries in pain when she tries to sit up, and breathing is hard.

"I was with Rick…" Michonne attempts to make sense of her last memories, "My husband."

She remembers that night. Michonne wanted to go after Rick. He left the restaurant, and she followed him. She was too drunk, and she cannot remember if she caught up with him.

"Mr Grimes is with your doctor outside." The nurse replies.

Michonne remains a bit disoriented, and she is panicking.

"My husband," she repeats almost in tears.

"Michonne, Rick…" Sasha fails to finish her statement.

Michonne is too disoriented to make sense of anything. She panics, and she wants to know if Rick was into the same accident.

"Where is Rick?" Michonne asks between quiet sobs, "Where is my husband?" She wants to sit up again, and she fails, "Is Rick okay?" She asks Sasha.

"He is outside with the doctor. He is right by the door." Sasha replies, but Michonne hardly hears her.

Her mind is too foggy to process any information. There is drowsiness to her eyes, and her head spins. She feels nauseous.

"I need to make sure that Rick is okay and I…" Michonne's speech is slurred, and she can't think straight.

Everything adds to her sentiment of panic. Sasha looks at the nurse with concern.

"Can you get Mr Grimes?" The nurse asks Sasha. "I will stay with Mrs Grimes until you come back."

Sasha squeezes Michonne's hand. She looks at her baby cousin with concern while Michonne slowly calms down with the promise to see Rick.

"I will be quick, and don't panic." Sasha assures Michonne, "I am going to get Rick."

"Okay…" Michonne says after a deep soothing breath, and she only needs to make sure that he is okay.

…

…

…

Rick tenses and every word feels like a hammer crushing his heart. Slowly, he takes on the new, and Michonne's attending doctor continues to explain what the medical result means.

"Pregnant?" Rick asks with uncertainty while he attempts to respond to the doctor previous question.

Were your wife and you aware that she was pregnant?

Rick strives to understand the statement. He thinks about the night when he crossed that line. They didn't use protection, and well, he did not think much of it. It has been two weeks and a few days. Chances are minimal that she could be pregnant of him.

"She might have been before the accident. When we did her blood test at her arrival, we found an increase of beta hCG. She would have been roughly around a week or two, but…" Michonne's physician explains to Rick.

Rick does not know how to react, and the news of Michonne's potential pregnancy prevents him from notice the constant use of the past. She was pregnant.

"The levels of hormones have drastically dropped down in our latest blood test." The doctor tells Rick, "It might be an anomaly or your wife miscarried, Mr Grimes." He finishes.

The use of the past finally sinks in Rick's mind, and he cannot react beyond a nod. He does not know how to do anything but hurt her. That thought causes a sharp ache. Knowing Michonne, she won't be able to handle the news.

"We were not aware that we were expecting, and it is surely an anomaly. We were not expecting, and we couldn't have been without any intercourse." Rick says in low whispers, and he hopes the conversation stays between the doctor and him.

"Rick?" Sasha's voice interrupts him before he says more to Michonne's physician. "Michonne is awake, and she needs you."

Rick feels Sasha's concerned look on him while they return to the room. He stops, and he turns to face her.

"You heard everything," Rick says matter of factly.

Sasha sighs, and she is glad Rick spoke before she did. Sasha did not want to eavesdrop in such a conversation, and it was an accident. She did not hear everything, but she knows what of importance.

"Was it yours?" Sasha asks, and it is crucial to know how crushing the new would be to Michonne.

"Yeah," Rick's voice does not exclude doubt, "except if she fucked him in the last two weeks, and you know she was with him when this accident happened." Rick needs to express his anger.

"She wanted to fire him, and Michonne and Philip have not been together for at least three weeks. She finally broke up with him. It was yours then." Sasha replies, and Rick does not know what to do with her words.

"Don't tell her anything," Sasha grabs Rick's arm, and she looks into his eyes, "You can't tell her. She will never forgive herself for losing your baby." She emphasizes.

Sasha heard enough of Michonne's childhood fantasy to know that her cousin wouldn't recover from it. Philip's baby, Michonne would hurt, but she would eventually fight to recover. However, Rick's child, she would forever blame herself.

When it involves Rick, it can undo Michonne. In ten years, she never recovered from his departure from home. Sasha does not think Michonne ever dated any man without a thought of what would have been with Rick.

Rick does not reply at first, and he does not know if he can forgive himself. He looks at Sasha, and he had no intention to breathe a word to Michonne. For what reason would he lie to the doctor and implied a lack of sex between Michonne and him? No one is going to tell her anything.

"Good, we are on the same line," Rick says as he pries Sasha's hand from his forearm. "If you don't mind, she is waiting for me."

* * *

Rick opens the door, and he softens at the sight of Michonne. He pushes away any thoughts, Rick does not say much, and he walks up to Michonne. He cages her face, and he kisses her with as much passion as he can muster at the moment.

Rick's kiss is ravaging and bruising. Michonne's lungs burn with every breath he steals from her lips. Eventually, he has to stop when she whines in pain, and her broken ribs do not allow any lung expansion.

"Don't you ever pull anything like that again," Rick groans, and he is genuinely frustrated.

Michonne looks at Rick, and she does not know how to react to him. Her last memory is their argument and his confession. Now that she has seen him and made sure that he is alive, Michonne does not how to react. She feels angry and relieved.

"Hey," She hesitantly tells Rick, and he carefully takes a seat by her side, "everywhere hurts, and so can you wait before you shout at me," Michonne asks with slurred words. "I want to sleep too," she moves to the side to make space for Rick, "and don't leave in the morning, please." She adds with long seconds of pause between words.

Rick looks at the nurse, and she reassures with a smile.

"The analgesics are kicking in, and she will rest for a few more hours." The nurse tells Rick, "Call if you need anything." She leaves the room.

Rick looks between Michonne and Sasha. He draws a deep breath, and Rick does not know how to feel. Michonne's words have reopened the wound. Why is it so hard not to hurt her? He does it even when he strives to do the opposite.

"If anyone ever knows about the miscarriage, I will make your life hell." Rick ultimately speaks to Sasha, "I swear if she finds out, I will make you regret it."

"I won't say anything, and she does not need to know." Sasha reiterates.

"I have hurt her enough, and I need to stop before I lose her forever. If she knows, I…" Rick lets his sentence hangs, "We need a chance to get it right."

* * *

 **A.N: the minute science because it wouldn't allow the story to flow if I gave you a breve lab diagnosis class.**

 **1\. beta hCG is a hormonal marker which increase in three case pregnancy, trophoblastic disease , or cancer. that is why you pee on the pregnancy test to check this hormone.**

 **2\. beta hcg rises during pregnancy to a certain level, and it drops when there is miscarriage. This is why the doctor thinks that michonne might have miscarried, and this is why Rick says that they didn't have sex. Rick is good at science and sexually active.**

 **3\. no pregnancy without sex, and so the doctor thinks it is an anomaly or a false positive. that is why Rick lied.**

 **4\. you don't have to inform patient of false positive unless you want to redo a test or worry about it. In michonne case, there is nothing to worry about because Rick lied.**

 **5\. Rick already had no intention to let Michonne know about the miscarriage . why ?**


	10. Chapter 10

**I don't own the walking dead**

 **Thanks for the review**

 **Please review**

* * *

 **Chapter IX: Legally Mrs Grimes?**

* * *

"No…" Michonne says without the subsequent explanation.

The analgesic has worn off, and her broken arm is killing her. However, the cause of her migraine is Rick Grimes. She stares at him, and Michonne wonders what his goal is. She draws a deep breath, and she tells herself to ignore him. Rick is an adult, and he can understand primary body language. However, he purposely ignores Michonne.

"Can you be reasonable?" Rick asks with growing exasperation.

He knows the choice of words is poor, and he utters those words to provoke a reaction. Despite his best effort, Michonne's Inflexibility has begun to weaken Rick's patience. They have had the same conversation for the last forty minutes, and Michonne sticks to her initial stance.

"Reasonable?" She draws a deep breath, and she forces the word to come out as a whisper.

She smiles at the nurse, who quietly takes her vital. Michonne refrains from rolling her eyes, and only noisiness keeps the nurse glue to Michonne's room. Perhaps, she also stays to ogle at Rick. When the nurse timidly smiles at Rick, Michonne rolls her eyes.

"Yeah," Rick drawls, and his nonchalance irritates his wife.

Michonne looks at Rick, and she knows his aim. He wants a reaction, and Rick needs proof that he is right to demand that of her. Michonne closes her eyes, and she exhales to release some of the building frustrations. Rick Grimes won't draw the insanity out of her, or at least, she won't lose her mind in the presence of a third party. Michonne glances at the nurse, who holds the record for the slowest physical examination.

"We won't have this conversation now," Michonne says as she gains an emotional upper hand on the situation.

Rick crosses his arms, and he glances at Michonne with a challenge in the eyes. She thinks he is giving her the look. Michonne is familiar with the look. For many years, the specific expression preceded Rick's decision to neglect everything that Michonne says. Rick is about to treat her like a stubborn teenager with no ounce of common sense. Rick's expression suffices to frustrate Michonne.

"I'm fine." Michonne shifts her frustration to the noisy nurse.

Rick scoffs at her lies, and Michonne glares at him. He does not care much for her murderous look.

"She needs painkillers," Rick tells the nurse, "She needs more than two pillows to be able to sleep. It would be lovely if you could bring her a few more pillows." He finishes with his most charming smile for the nurse.

Michonne's irritation increases, and she does not know what Rick Grimes is doing. Well, she knows, and he needs to stop playing that game with her. Michonne's eyes travel between her husband and the nurse. If her nurse suddenly wants to flirt with a blush and a small smile, Rick is very much her husband, and she should find someone else. Michonne cannot prevent the emergence of possessive thoughts.

"I'm fine," Michonne repeats.

The beginnings of the conversation and the man snatcher nurse have added to her frustration, and Michonne has missed the important details of the exchange. Many years down the lane, Rick remembers that Michonne stacks her pillows. She cannot sleep without an unreasonable amount of pillows, and she has not slept last night.

"I will ask her doctor for the pain killers, and I will try to get more pillows." The nurse replies, and to Michonne's ear, she sounds too eager to please Rick.

Michonne glares at Rick, and in her brown irises turning onyx, and he can see her irritation. Something hardly changes, and Rick does not want to point out that Michonne has no reason to murder the nurse. He would rather let Michonne stew in her boiling jealousy and possessiveness.

"You do just that," Michonne mumbles.

Rick rolls his eyes. It feels as if they are back to being children, and instead of five year Maggie, the nurse is the object of Michonne's wrath for playing with her Rick. Rick miraculously does not extend his arm, and so Michonne can drag him by the sleeve away from the nurse. They are no longer children, and Michonne is acting like the territorial wife for no real reason.

"My wife is a bit tired and in pain, and so we will appreciate if she could have the analgesic as soon as possible," Rick adds an emphasis on the word wife.

Michonne's jealousy is unreasonable, and any argument only worsens his position. The nurse ultimately understands that the pair is eager to see her vacate the room.

"Of course…" She adds with embarrassment while she throws the last yearning glance at Rick.

His wedding band is suddenly visible. The nurse chastises herself for not noticing, and Michonne's murderous glares are understandable. She would be as territorial as her patient is if her husband looks like Michonne's husband does.

"I love your music, and I am a big fan," The nurse quickly says.

Michonne mysteriously does not roll her eyes, and her grandfather would actually give her a lecture for being rude to a woman trying to get in her husband's pants. Michonne pushes down her anger, and she brings out her southern charm.

"Thank you," She flashes a half-smile, and Michonne can't wait for the nurse to leave so she can give Rick a piece of her furious mind. "If you have a disc, I will love to sign it." Michonne remains polite.

"Of course," The nurse excitedly replies, "and let me get you those pain killers." She rushes out of the room.

* * *

"I will see with the nurse for your pillows," Rick stands to leave.

"Go fuck yourself, Rick," Michonne almost hurls her anger, and she has not forgotten about their conversation.

"Your nurse was willing to do that," Rick casually reminds Michonne, and she does not miss his implications.

Michonne is about to engage in an argument with Rick when there is a knock at the door. She sighs, and Rick goes to the door.

"What are you doing here?" Michonne hears the aggressiveness in Rick's voice.

"Who is it?" Michonne's curiosity propels the words out of her mouth.

"Michonne, we need to talk." Philip's voice fills the room. "Tell your husband to let me inside the room," He adds with frustration.

Michonne attempts to look past Rick's back. She has no memory of the accident aside from the fact that Philips was in the car. She remembers trying to catch up with Rick, and later, Philip was taking her hand to drag her into his car. He threw her to the passenger side, and she was too drunk to escape him successfully.

"Rick?" Michonne says with a quiet request. "Don't do whatever his going on in your mind." Her eyes narrow on his closed fist.

Rick ignores Michonne, and he leans in the doorframe to block Philip's entrance to Michonne's room. He stares at Philip, and since Michonne's accident, he did not have the time to confront the other man.

"What do you want?" Rick demands, and his anger begins to rise.

Philip attempts to be charming, and in his present situation, he needs anyone with the financial power that Rick has. Philip came with a purpose, and he has to swallow his pride.

"I need to talk to my client," Philip replies with a smile," and she is in deep water. I think you have heard about the victim of our car accident." He adds to influence Michonne's reaction.

Michonne's heart halts, and she looks at Rick's back. She hopes that he can turn to help clarify her doubts. Since she woke up, Rick has been by her side, and he has told her nothing. The most meaningful conversation has been the one, which they had a few minutes ago.

"What is going on?" Michonne asks, and she stares at Rick's back.

"Your little husband did not tell you about the manslaughter charge pending over your head?" Philips maliciously states.

He smirks at Rick, and Rick draws a deep breath. Michonne senses the brewing chaos. She wants to rise from the bed to intervene. She presses the button to call for the nurse.

"Philip, can we have this conversation later?" Michonne quickly says, "And better, we can never have this conversation." She knows that her words sound like a lie.

Michonne intends to talk to Philip, but she will do it when Rick is not present. Michonne needs to know more about the situation.

"Michonne?" Philip insists, and he misses Rick's aggressive stance.

"Fuck off, Philip," Michonne begins to lose patience.

"Mi..." Philip does not get to finish his sentence, and Rick presses his hand to Philip's throat.

"Are you trying to ask her to take the blame for what you did?" Rick knowingly asks, and he pulls Philip inside the room. "Because I heard what you told the police," he continues to speak. "You told her that she was driving, and that you moved her to the passenger seat because you wanted to protect her from the press." Rick relates what Shane told him.

For a second, Michonne cannot follow the conversation. She only focuses on the fact that Rick is losing his control.

"Rick, let it go." She pleads with him, and she begins to pull on her IV to move out of her bed.

"I will ruin your miserable life," Rick warns Philips, and he barely holds on his anger, "If you come close to Michonne, I will kill you."

"Are you threatening me?" Philip asks Rick with an amused tone, and he attempts to shove him away from him.

Rick shoves Philip into the room's wall. He distantly hears Michonne's voice. However, his fury consumes most of his thoughts.

"Michonne, what is it?" Philip says with a provoking tone, "Did your little husband find out that I was still fucking you?" He adds to push on Rick's button.

"Fucking shut up," Michonne says when she ultimately manages to leave her bed.

"Rick, please." She squeezes between the arguing men.

Rick grabs Michonne to move her out of his way. Michonne fists the collar of his shirt, and she strives to gain his attention.

"Richard, snap out of it." She pushes him to shake him out of his anger.

"Tell him, Chonne." Philip continues to mock, "you were busy fucking me while you were convincing him to marry you."

Michonne firmly stands between Rick and Philips, and she wonders why the noise does not attract the medical staff. However, she focuses too much on Rick to notice anyone in the room. She does not notice the security dragging Philip out of the room or the nurse, who tries to get her back to her bed.

Michonne frames Rick's face, and she presses her forehead to his. She draws a deep breath, and Rick finds himself imitating her. With each breath, Rick's anger decreases.

"Please, stop, Rick." Michonne pleads, and she barely can stand with her painful ribs.

"I need a minute," Rick says, and he walks out of the room without a glance to the chaos, which he created.

* * *

" I think that we can talk sense into Rick," Jessie quietly tells her husband, and she waits for his reaction.

Carlton moves away from his wife, and the mention of his son feels like a threat to his manhood. He looks at his naked wife, who lies by his side. He has always wondered if Jessie prefered the sex with Rick. Carlton draws a deep breath to drown his thoughts. Rick forced himself on Jessie, and so Carlton prefers to believe his poor self-esteem. How can he deal with their past?

"Why do you feel the need to speak to him?" Carlton spits with venom.

" Do you want to unbury your father? Do you have no respect for the dead?" Jessie replies with impatience.

She has no patience left to handle Carlton's foolishness. Jessie is desperate, and she wants to stop Carlton from unburying Richard's senior. She is not paying for a murder, which did not help her to further her plans. Rick's bitch obtained everything that Jessie wanted to win.

Jessie wants to fix the situation. She deserves everything that the Hollywood starlet has. Jessie believes that she earns Rick's love, and she intends to take it back. Carlton is an obstacle to her plan.

" I want what is mine, and I know they kill my father to take it," Carlton replies, and for once, he is ready to argue with his precious wife. " Are you trying to protect Rick after everything that he did to you."

Jessie rolls her eyes, and she no longer can pretend to care for the dense man, who stands in front of her. She rises from the bed, and she begins to dress up.

" No, I'm trying to stop my senile husband from doing something stupid." She says with false concern. " What the fuck do you expect to achieve? What do you think would happen when you did up that bastard?" Jessie says with venom.

For a long minute, Carlton is at loss of words. He does not recognise his soft-spoken wife. Jessie finishes to dress up, and she returns her attention to Carlton.

" You want to act like an old fool, and I won't stand by your side. I will leave your senile ass behind, Carlton." Jessie says calmly, and Carlton fails to answer in a meaningful way.

"Jessie?" He calls after his wife, and he ultimately finds a voice to hurl his anger. " Stupid bitch."

Jessie returns to the room, and she is the picture of fury. She slaps Carlton, and she dreamed of doing it for years. Her slap carries years of frustration and her disgust for his old body.

" I should have left your old ass years ago. A fucking useless man and you show it every day." She returns his anger, and Carlton stutters.

"I stayed and loved you. Now, you have lost everything to your son. You want to act impulsively instead of thinking about the better way. Do you think that Rick wants the world to know what he did to me? We can force his hand, and the Hollywood bitch will surely leave him," Jessie slowly begins to regain her hold on Carlton, and she knows how to stroke his ego. " I love you, and I want you to get what is yours."

" Rick?" Carlton barely dares to argue.

" Rick is between your money and you. I can try to talk to him." Jessie insists. " However, you will only look greedy if you unbury your father."

Carlton ponders on the idea, and he almost loses all abilities to think for himself as Jessie presses her lips to his. He draws a deep breath, and he passionately kisses his wife.

"I know," Carlton breathes the words with regrets, " and It's too late to correct my mistake."

" How can it be too late?" Jessie pulls away from Carlton, and her heart begins to beat very fast.

" Rick and Morgan agreed to have my father unburied. They will do it tonight," Carlton finishes, and Jessie cannot keep her rage buried.

"Idiot,"

* * *

Michonne stares at Rick, and he remains unfazed under her glare. For a minute, Michonne cannot stand the silence between them. However, her confused emotions do not allow her to utter the first word. Rick peers at her, and he pulls his phone out of his pocket. When it comes to infuriating Michonne, he has mastered the art.

"Rick?" Michonne sighs, and she cannot continue with this tense silence," I won't change my mind." She chooses to return to the topic of conversation, which the nurse interrupted.

Michonne does not think that they can afford to explore the chaos, which follows his loss of control. The last time, they ended up having sex. Now, she will rather avoid to be in similar situation. Rick does not raise his eyes from his phone, and he continues to infuriate Michonne with his silence. Someone, she is the victim of his loss of control. He returned an hour ago, and he has not uttered a word. Perhaps, Philip' words have added to his frustration.

" I'm not playing any form of games with you," Michonne insists with wavering determination.

Rick's quietness does a better job at provoking Michonne than any of his words could. She looks at him, and her blood boils. Michonne grasps that Rick is gearing to treat her like a stubborn child, and he does it from experience. Rick has a mind prone to tyranny when he wants something. Michonne knows it, and it does not matter how much she argues.

"What's your lawyer number?" Rick finally speaks, and he looks into Michonne's eyes.

"What?" Michonne stutters, and she does not understand why the sudden shift into the conversation.

Rick appears mildly irritated, and he impatiently waits for the number of Michonne's lawyer. He passes his phone to Michonne, and she reads the text that he has been typing.

" What the fuck is this?" Michonne blinks, and she resists the impulse to hit Rick.

"Whatever the fuck you read," Rick deadpans, and she always knows how to rile him.

Forgotten are his thoughts of peace, and Michonne wants to have it this way. Michonne looks at Rick, and she wonders how someone can be such an asshole. She ultimately scolds herself for finding him attractive. Now, she will offer him to that nurse with a bowtie pinned in his curls.

"I hope it is not what I understood, Richard junior," Michonne emphasizes Rick's name.

He mockingly smirks, and Rick crosses his arms. Michonne reads the message a second time. She reads it five times more to confirm that she understood every word.

"You're an asshole," Michonne expresses her frustration.

" Are we stating facts? Is it my turn to say something?" Rick chuckles, and he continues to rise Michonne's blood pressure, "look, Mimi..." He begins to speak until Michonne scoffs.

"Don't?" She warns him, and Michonne draws a deep breath, "Don't you dare, Richard." She adds his formal name to establish a form of distance between them. " Don't treat me like a child. Don't hide thing to me. Don't coerce me into doing what you want, and so you can have a form of control."

"Stop being a child, Mimi." Rick challenges Michonne, and he uses his most honeyed voice.

Michonne glares at him, and she does not want Rick to ruin the memories attached to her nickname. Michonne does not want to melt at the soft way, which he utters that nickname.

"I'm the child," Michonne rolls her eyes, " I'm a child for not automatically agreeing with your decision over what I should do." She summarises the situation, and Rick does not argue with her points. " You had no problem fucking this child," she throws with frustration.

"I had no problem enjoying it if you need to know," Rick remains unfazed, and his fury has entirely disappeared.

...

...

...

Michonne takes a minute to assimilate his reply, and his eyes on her take a different meaning. She sinks under the hospital blanket, and her skin tingles. Rick chuckles, and he comfortably leans in his chair.

"You have a broken arm, and that bed is too small," He confidently adds.

" You're so cocky," Michonne says, "you think I want to fuck you after the last time." She adds with resentment, and she hopes her voice does not betray her.

Rick crosses his legs, and he leans closer to his wife. Rick's fingers graze the side of Michonne's arm.

"You like it right, baby," Rick whispers the words, and his hand begins to explore the curve of her hips, "Tell me that you did not like my tongue on your pussy, Mimi," He challenges, "you taste so good, and I get hard thinking about you moaning my name." He adds while his hand stops moving when he grazes the hem of her hospital gown. " your pussy was so fucking wet for me," Rick leans over Michonne to breathe those words in the hole of her ear, and his hand possessively rests on Michonne's lower abdomen. "I'm fucking you again, and I'm going to enjoy chasing you until you are the one telling me that your pussy is mine, Mimi." He whispers, and his lips flirt with the curves of Michonne's neck. " However, this is off-topic, Chonne."

Michonne understands that part of Rick's act is a result of Philip's words.

Rick moves away from a slightly confused Michonne, and she does not know the adequate response to his statement. She does know that she must have an expression frozen between lust and the desire to slap that cocky grin from Rick's face.

"You left me alone in that bed and with a fucking note," Michonne groans, and she is ultimately angry against Rick and her body reaction, " you think I'm going to jump back on your dick because you're the best sex of my life. You think I'm that whipped, or I'm a special kind of dumb." She asks at the edge of hysteria. " How many chances have you managed to destroy? Now, you want to own me. Now, you want to have a claim on me because it pleases you. You're jealous. Of course, my dumb self is going to wait for you with open arms. You're a delusional asshole, and you wasted ten years. You wanted me out of your perfect life, and I'm going to grant you that wish, baby. I have enough shit to deal with now," She finishes with a touch of irony that fails to hide her fears and frustration.

Rick stares at Michonne, and he does not show how much Michonne's words shake his confidence. He draws a deep breath, and Rick never expected it to be easy. He knows that she has seen that ugly side of him, and the anger is frightening.

"I don't want to own you, but you're mine. We know it, and I was slightly slow there." Rick calmly states, and Michonne glares at him, " You want to give me the hardest time of my life, good luck trying to top this." He points at the hospital bed where she lies.

" I'm not asking you for another chance because I know you won't give me one. I don't care if you don't want to give me another chance, and I will find a way to get one. I wasted ten years." Rick agrees with Michonne, and he draws a deep breath to make his next statement.

" Well, I'm going to step up, and you can do your best to make me as miserable as I made myself in ten years. You're my wife, and I'm not going to screw this up. I'm going to make it less hard for you to love me, and it is going to be hard because I have no idea how to win you. I'm good at pushing you away, but I can't shove you this far." Rick pursues, and Michonne already has her rebuttal ready to leave her lips.

" Rick..." Michonne decides to silence her heart, and she does not want to allow hope to blossom over promises, which Rick can easily break.

"Do you know how scared I was?" Rick challenges Michonne, " you can't do this to me, and you can't make me think about losing a future with you." He adds with slight frustration. " I have my demons, Mimi. I'm fucking angry at you and the world, but I want to heal from that shit. I don't want to lose you, and I am going to grow a pair. You don't want to give me a chance. Don't give me a chance. Make it impossible for me to win you back, and so when I do, you won't have any doubts on how much I want this marriage to work."

Michonne looks at Rick, and she has no responses to his statement. She wipes the tears before they can fall, and Michonne feels as if Rick is too late.

"She broke you beyond what I can fix, and Rick ..." Michonne whispers the words, and her effort to hold her tears are futile," I don't want whatever you promise. I don't want to jump between you and men that you want to kill. I can't deal with this anger, which you carry. "

Rick looks at Michonne, and his hand clasps her fingers. Her words have a weight almost impossible to carry. However, Rick Grimes is not one to fret.

"You don't have to fix me, and I swear that I will do that on my own." He confidently tells Michonne, and he stares at her, "Do you want to stop loving me?" Rick asks, and the response to that question might undo Rick.

Michonne wipes her tears, and she looks at his hand in hers. The thoughts swim in her mind, and she can't find a day when she considers those options. Michonne has loved Rick at every corner of her life. How far the fracture in their relationship expands does not change that fact. She loves him even when it goes against her well-being. Michonne would only stop loving Rick if he asked her to do it. He did ask, and at the crossroad, they stand.

" I wanted it for ten years," She replies with a harsh truth, " I wanted to stop loving you for what it did to us. You didn't need my love, and I'm tired of shoving it down your throat. You won Rick," Michonne finishes, and she wants to bite her tongue to spare him the violence of such a truth.

"I'm sorry," Rick has nothing more sincere to say, and he wipes Michonne's tears.

"I'm going to do what I do best and be an asshole. I'm going to make it impossible for you to quit loving me. If it means using legal means to get that chance, I will send that damn text to my lawyer. You're my wife, and it's your legal obligation to live with me. You can do your best to stop me from winning you back, but you will do it at my house, Mimi." Rick finishes with the same confidence, which makes Michonne want to claw at those beautiful eyes.

"Your lawyer's number," Rick casually requests, and he blesses the heaven that Michonne has no access to a shoe.

"Richard Grimes Junior, I'm not moving in with you," Michonne repeats with exasperation, and she knows how weak her resolution might become with lengthy contact with Rick.

"Tell that to the court and the law, Mrs Grimes," He replies with amusement, " How long until that nurse talk to the paparazzi? I'm going to play that card of the estranged husband who tried everything to get you back, and your public image is going to suffer. Be reasonable, baby?" Rick undoubtedly reminds Michonne why he can be ruthless and oppressive.

"You are trying to win me?" Michonne questions with slight confusion about the method, "Now, I only want to kill you."

" At least, you want something with me," Rick counters.

"I'm not moving in with you," Michonne insists, but her instinct told her the contrary. "You're not winning me back."

"Goodluck, resisting the love of your life every day, dear wife,"


	11. Chapter 11

**I don't own the walking dead**

 **Thanks for the review**

 **Please, review**

* * *

 **Chapter X: Syndrome and Control**

* * *

Rick swallows his water, and he is running out of words. Answering questions in an honest manner always drains him, and he often prefers to hold onto his emotions. However, he does not pay three hundred dollars an hour to talk about the weather.

Rick spreads his legs to feel any comfort. He closes his eyes to remember pieces of emotions swallowed by his anger, and Rick continues to relate his loss of control.

"I think with Carlton, my dad, it was a bit of everything. It never went away, and the week had been hectic. We had just buried Grandpa Richard, and Carlton was who he is always. I attempted containing myself…" Rick hesitates on how to continue.

"You did it for a week, I believe." Rick's therapist suggests.

"Yeah, it was hard, but I didn't have to deal with everythang. I only had to survive Carlton's hostility." Rick explains.

The sound of a pen scratching the paper fills the room. The silence helps Rick to follow a thread of thoughts. Rick's brain is a tangle of emotions.

"Everything?" The therapist halts his pen, and Rick ponders on the word.

Everything, Rick slightly rises from the couch. He needs to move, and so he leaves to pace back and forth.

"Yeah, Everything…" Rick repeats, and the words are profound and meaningful. "Jessie's harassment. I could hardly sleep. I did not want to sleep. I did not feel safe in my childhood home and room…well." He draws a deep breath, and he stops speaking all at once.

He does not want to touch the topic. The pen sits on the side of the carnet. Concerned eyes fall on Rick. The therapist gives Rick a minute to gather his thoughts.

"Did you relive your rape?" The therapist carefully uses the word.

"My rape?" Rick hesitates on the words, and he does not like the use of this word. "No, but I did not feel safe enough to sleep with my door locked."

"How about control, did you feel in control? I mean before you had your episode of anger." The therapist corrects.

Control is a recurrent thematic of their sessions. Rick obsesses over it since the incident with Jessie. He has a tight hold over his life. Rick is almost tyrannical in his quest of control.

"I tried to keep everything under control," Rick replies, and his muscles tense.

It is another difficult topic to explore, and Rick begins to tread faster. His thoughts continue to collide. His mouth is dry, and so he drinks more water.

"Were you successful?" The therapist purposely asks.

Rick returns to the couch. He begins to pick the thread on his jeans, and Rick needs to focus.

"I was not successful," He says with resentment. "I had to deal with some difficulties. I could not focus on what I needed to, and she…well, I had to react to the situation." Rick takes some distance, and he openly reflects on the circumstances.

"She? You were concentrating on someone." The pen begins to move again, and the conversation becomes intimidating.

"Michonne, my wife." Rick does not know how to call her.

"It is the same Michonne in some of your nightmares. She is your wife now." He asks.

"Grandpa forced us to get married," Rick explains with increasing uneasiness.

"Is it why you lost control? Your grandfather stole it from you, and it bothered you." The pen halts again, and Rick only nods, "If I remember the few conversations that we had about Michonne, you did not react well to it. You were upset with that article of the press. The one with the drug scandal."

"It's complicated," Rick mumbles, and he can't decide why the topic is a taboo.

"How complicated is it? Do you mind explaining?" The therapist scrutinises, and they are on a sensitive topic.

"Michonne is Michonne," Rick breathes the words, and his emotions are conflicted but compelling.

"What else?" The therapist insists.

"I don't know, and it's difficult to explain," Rick sighs, and he thinks about what to say, "I'm in love with her, and I have always been. I don't control that part of my life. It is chaotic. It is a bunch of emotions. She is my wife, and it happened to me. I…I… I have to…" He does not know how to finish his confession.

" You have to control the situation." Rick's therapist expertly finishes the sentence, "Do you feel like you need to control Michonne? I mean you feel like she has to fit in your tight circle of control. You love her, and she is a part of your life."

Rick demands a minute to form his opinions. Everything in Rick's life consists of the circle of restriction. He cherishes a controlled environment. He has a sexual life built around a need to dominate. Where does Michonne belong in Rick's life?

"I need to control her, but Michonne is very stubborn. She would not allow me to shackle her with demands. She does not fit in my circle of control." Rick admits, and he is afraid of such a lack of control.

"With your previous relationships, you did not commit to anyone out of your control. Does she know about your need for dominance in intimacy?" The therapist inquires.

Rick straightens his posture. He knows that he pays to bare his soul, but some topics require too much honesty.

"We have had sex once, and she is submissive. I don't feel threatened. When it happened, I needed control, and I was in control so far that I remember." Rick quickly brushes the topic.

"Does she know that you require submission in your intimacy? It is important for you to have established a dominant and a submissive. You have had a few problems in the past." The therapist adds.

"We are not intimate. We're married, but it is only on papers. We have not brushed the topic. We are settling into a kind of relationship, and it is tumultuous." Rick carefully utters the words.

"Tumultuous? Does it have to do with your lack of control over her?" He inquires, and he begins to write.

"Yes and No. I had to draw a court order to force her to live with me. She is legally required to move in my home." Rick states.

"Did you do it with the intent to control her?" The therapist asks.

"I asked her to move in with me. I did not act until she refused to see why it was in her best interest. She had a car accident, and her ex-boyfriend was driving. He has accused her of driving. He tried to have access to my wife. I took a second to think about it, and it was the best for her." Rick explains his reasoning.

Until his confrontation with Philip, Rick had no intention to force Michonne's hand. However, he cannot deny that he plays in his need for control.

"So jealousy? The ex-boyfriend is also the one involved in your second loss of control. Wasn't he present at the funeral? Which is the same night that you assaulted your father? Were you intimate with your wife that same night?" The question is rhetorical.

"Yeah," Rick reluctantly spit the words.

"And your father insulted Michonne before you lost your control?" He inquires to confirm what he previously noted.

"He pushed her and called her a whore?" Rick clarifies

"And so Carlton alluded to Michonne having sex with other men than you." The therapist lays the path for Rick to form a conclusion.

Rick scratches his head, and he cannot ignore his actions. He draws a deep breath.

"I'm violent in reaction to my jealousy and …" Rick concludes, and he has a difficult time realising the last part.

"You immediately perceive comfort in a way to tighten control over your wife." The therapist finishes for him.

Rick takes in the words, and his actions are in accord with his customary practices. Now, he wants Michonne as a part of his life. Instinctively, he will aim to make her fit in his life. As with anything, it means control. He had sex with Michonne to establish a power imbalance. Rick forced Michonne to live with him because it means more control.

Rick sighs, and he does not know how he always falls into that circle of vicious habit with Michonne. Even his purest intentions become perverse. Rick looks at his therapist, and he hesitates to express his vulnerability.

"I'm trying to be better," Rick sighs, and he does not want to pursue, "I'm genuinely trying to be better for her. The version of me that she loves must be somewhere under this mess, and I want to be that Rick. Though that Rick…" He draws a deep breath, "He lost her, and I don't want to lose Michonne. I want to fix what I fucked up, but this is fucked up, right?" Rick admits that he is going at it the only way that he knows.

"It is abusive at the least, and it is going to be toxic in the long term. Rick, you don't have to control every aspect of your life, and you don't have to control people." Rick's therapist points out.

"When I don't have control, it feels like that night. I don't feel safe, and I hate that feeling. I hate the fear, which follows. I can't snap out of the anger. Around my wife, it feels worst. I have the impression that she is going to slip from my fingers. She probably deserves someone more functional, and then I get mad because…" Rick stops to speak.

"Do you feel less of a man around Michonne?" The question is one, which Rick has started to probe.

Rick leans on the couch, and his knees are high enough to stand as a shield. He has the answer on the tip of his tongue.

"I don't need to be around Michonne to feel like less of a man. She makes it worse. She continues to view me with those eyes, and it reminds me that I'm never going to match her expectations. And so I get angry with her, with me, and I have to prove to the both of us that I' m a 'man'." He stutters through his reply.

"The violence, the jealousy, and does it help?" The therapist asks with quiet concern.

"On the spot, it does. I can't explain it, but it is comforting to be miserable with someone else. But after, I feel so shitty for putting her through that. I get angrier because she allows him to do it. Michonne is not a pushover unless she feels the need to be. I assure you that she always used to run the show. She wanted something, and I ran to do it. It did not matter how crazy it was." Rick fondly thinks about their youth, and he can pinpoint the shift in their relationship, "She is stroking my ego. It angers me more because it feels like pity. I gave her a chance to fight me. She could have asked her lawyer to look through a way to stop the court order. She did not. It's complicated. When she told that she was not forgiving me, I have never been happier. That Michonne is my Michonne."

"It does sound like she enables you. You stated that you drifted apart when you noticed that your feelings for her were not platonic. Do you think that as young as she was at the time she might have believed that she has to gratify you to fix the problem? The conversation, which you had ten years ago, was brutal and complex. She might still believe that you are going to leave for another ten years. In her approach, your wife is attempting to keep you." The therapist explains.

"It sounds like it's my fault again," Rick sighs, and he does not know how far he has broken them.

His therapist begins to write again on his carnet. Sometimes, Rick wonders what fills those pages. He imagines that it is not in his favour.

"What else is your fault?" The question follows a long silence.

"I shouldn't have taken that glass of wine." Rick begins to explain, "Jessie, well, I knew something was off with her. I mean she did not want to leave me alone, and I did not want a scene. It was Christmas Eve. I should not have." Rick breathes, and he fails to forgive himself.

"Or Jessie made the conscious decision to take advantage of you," Rick's therapist corrects, "Do you think that I could talk to your wife during our next session?"

"Why?" Rick is quickly suspicious, and it flows from protectiveness.

" It is evident that she has a lot of control over your emotions. You have not had any major incident in three years," Rick's therapist points out, and Rick cannot argue with the facts.

"If you are living together, she needs to be aware that some of your actions are traumatic responses, and other actions are yours alone. Michonne needs to understand that she does not have to coddle you, but she might need to help you." He continues to explain. "Your living arrangement might be beneficial in many ways, but it is precarious at best."

"It is imperative that you have a conversation with her. You need to stop using her guilt. Perhaps, you will able to decide on a couples' therapy." The therapist suggests.

Rick is usually willing to follow the process for his health.

"Will it make her happier?" Rick asks, and the fact that Michonne's happiness is the determinant factor of his decision speaks volume.

"Rick, did you use to play a protector role for Michonne?" Rick' therapist inquiries.

"When we were younger, I had to make sure that she was happy and safe," Rick replies without considering the impact of his role in Michonne's life.

"Are you trying to protect her from you now?" The question does not receive any immediate answers, "Is it why you subconsciously act in ways that will provoke her?"

"Maybe, I only want her to be happy." Rick genuinely answers, "I have a hard time finding the right way to go about it."

* * *

Sasha stares at her cousin, and she wonders if Michonne has an ounce of common sense. She rolls her eyes at every opportunity. She fails to understand Michonne's stance. After everything, Michonne only sounds naïve and too generous.

"I only need to know what is going on, and it means that I have to talk to Philip." Michonne re-explains her intentions to Sasha.

Sasha sighs, and she moves away from the door. She takes a spot on the couch, which Michonne now associates with her husband. Seeing another person sitting on it is an oddity. Rick's absence is odd. However, Michonne knows that she won't have another opportunity to execute her plan.

"What is not clear to you?" Sasha displays her exasperation, "What do think Philip is going to tell you besides as much bullshit as he can," She questions Michonne with uttermost seriousness.

"I don't know…" Michonne grows increasingly frustrated, "At least, he will tell me what happened during the accident. I have no memory passed Philip dragging me in his car."

Sasha stares at Michonne, and her cousin's statement is the reason why Michonne should stay away from her ex-boyfriend. Philip is nothing, but a narcissistic man.

"Look, that piece of shit is trying to pin manslaughter on your ass. You don't need to talk to him. What you need to do is to sit back while Shane handles the case." Sasha replies, and her statement implies that she does not intend to help Michonne with her folly.

Michonne remains silent for a few seconds, and she attempts to remember where she heard the name, which Sasha mentioned.

"Who is Shane?" Michonne inquires with a hint of confusion.

Sasha blinks, and she looks at Michonne with a concerned expression.

"Shane Walsh, your lawyer," Sasha announces with a chastising tone.

Michonne's confusion is tenfold worst. She sits, and the name of her so-called lawyer resonates with her memory. Rick's friend and she never liked him. Michonne sighs, and she does not know how to react. Richard Grimes junior appears to have decided to take full control of her life, and Michonne does not like it.

"I didn't hire him. I have a lawyer, and Andrea always handles my legal business." Michonne furiously states, "I didn't hire Rick's friend."

"Well, you need to thank anyone who did. The police have yet to knock at your door." Sasha deadpans, and she is a bit defensive "and Andrea is accumulating proofs that you have an alcohol problem. She asked me if I was willing to speak in court. She is defending Philip. Now, you can't stop pretending that you did not know this two were banging." She finishes with her usual lack of tact.

Michonne draws a deep breath, and she wonders why everyone takes her for a fool. Rick is taking full control of her life without requesting her opinion, nor does he tell her that she is a person of interest in manslaughter. Now, she learns that a supposed friend had an affair with her boyfriend.

"I didn't know, and she hates him," Michonne replies with dumbfounded tone.

"Mimi, you really didn't know?" Sasha questions and she begins to feel bad for her, "and I thought it was the reason why you moved on with Rick."

Michonne allows a little hysterical laugh to leave her lips. She thinks her chest is going to implode. Despite the pain, Michonne is not heartbroken over Philip's infidelity. She is only exhausted from being a fool.

"Move on with Rick?" She laughs again, and it sounds bitter and eerie. "Grandpa Richard didn't give us a choice. I had to marry Rick."

Sasha digests the information. She moves from the couch to Michonne's bed.

"Forced or not, it is the most lucid thing you did in years." Sasha states with confidence, "He cares for you, and it is more than what you asked of any of your boyfriends. It is more than you do for yourself. Mimi, I love you, but you have been a mess in the last years. This is a consequence of it, and you want to do what. You want to associate with Philip." She bluntly states.

Michonne sighs, and she feels misunderstood. She does not want anything with Philip, but she needs to understand what is going on around her. Rick is keeping her in the dark. She does not want him to exercise such amount of power over her life. She does not care if the intent is to protect her.

"You know what I will find a way to handle it," Michonne replies, and she no longer sees the need to pursue the conversation.

Sasha draws a deep breath, and she knows what Michonne means. Nothing good can come out of it.

"Look, you are leaving the hospital tomorrow. Why don't you focus on that? Philip wants nothing good for you. If he did, Andrea would not be building a case against you." Sasha softly adds, and she squeezes Michonne's hand.

"Oh joy, I have to move in with Rick Grimes."

* * *

Rick did not want to be back in king county so fast, but he did not have much of a choice. He turns toward Grandpa Morgan, and for a second, they are silent. Everything feels a bit ridiculous, but Carlton wants such a scene.

"Hopefully, your father will stop after this," Morgan whispers as his eyes fall on Carlton and a rather displeased Jessie.

"He can kiss his allowance goodbye when we're done." Rick replies with frustration and resentment, "why would he want to do that to grandpa." His eyes narrow on the grave where the digging has begun.

Morgan sighs, and he does not understand how much greed consumes his best friend's son. He cannot solely blame Jessie, and Carlton was not a very good man before marrying his younger wife.

"Carlton is who he is." Morgan summarises.

"Yeah," Rick agrees, and he glares at the pair, who silently stands by Carlton and Jessie.

"Don't be too hard on Maggie," Morgan follows Rick's line of sight, "She is being the good…" He stops mid-sentence.

"Daughter?" Rick challenges, and as he has begun to think of it, the cousin angle made no sense, "I suppose that she is his daughter born from one of his many mistresses." His resentment resurfaces.

"Not my place to say, and does it really matter now?" Morgan comments.

"It explains some of her actions. I can redistribute the anger, and well, Michonne…" Rick does not finish his statement.

The time is not right for a confession, and Rick only wants to be in town for a few hours. Opening that specific assortment of problems might start a new set of conflicts. The grave is now open, and the machine drags the coffin out. Rick sighs, and he feels his anger grow.

"Michonne," Morgan curiously asks, "Are you two still in that circle of vicious habits?" He adds with concern, "Rick, if it is not working between you, don't make each other miserable. You know how a miserable marriage ends, and I hope you care for Michonne enough to spare her."

Rick does not need a reminder of how badly his parents' marriage ended. His mother died alone while Carlton was between the legs of another woman.

"We're working on thangs," Rick hesitates, and Morgan's look demands the truth, "I'm working on thangs, and she is making me beg for her attention. You know it's complicated." He admits with a small smile.

"When isn't it with you two?" Morgan laughs, and he taps Rick's shoulders, "Give it your best, and maybe get it through your thick skull that she has not loved another man as she loves you. Therefore, you have to be careful with her. Now, if she is impossible, you remember your worth." He paternally advises, "You are allowed to fail at marriage even with your soulmate." Grandpa Morgan wisely adds.

"I will keep that in mind, grandpa." Rick says with a smirk, "but I don't want to fail this time. I'm not getting another chance after this."

"Seems like Richard was right, and you're shaping up already to be a better man. He would be happy that you're willing to give it everything." Morgan encourages Rick, "But I need you to do it right with Michonne. If you finally had sex with her, I think you are well aware that she is a woman," He pointedly stares at a blushing Rick.

"Grandpa Morgan, please, don't…" Rick pleads, and he wants the ground to swallow him.

"Chile, if you did not want everyone to know, you would not have made that much noise. Think about it the next time that you are in your childhood home with her grandfather on the floor above. I had a very similar conversation with her. I hope you both can be wiser out of it." Morgan pursues with amusement in his voice.

"Okay, can we talk about anything but my sexual life with your granddaughter?" Rick begs.

"I only wanted to say treat her as you would do a woman. It means you tell her the truth even if it is ugly. You don't have to protect her." Morgan expertly states, and he believes that it might be hard for Rick to make the transition from the past to this new situation.

"Maybe, it is going to take time for me to get used to it." Rick confesses, and he has begun to face his flaws, "baby steps."

The silence returns and they focus on the police officers dragging Grandpa Richard's coffin.

"I think now we have to wait for the autopsy," Morgan helplessly says.

The entire ordeal taints his best friend's memory. Everything feels pointless because Carlton's claims are false.

"I'm going back tonight, and you keep me updated," Rick replies while he begins to head out of the cemetery.

* * *

Rick sighs as he reads one of Shane's messages. He promises himself to reply as soon as he is far from the ranch. He only has to look into some of the paperwork for the succession, and grandpa Morgan has efficiently begun the transition. Rick has to sign some papers.

He attempts to be comfortable in his grandfather's office, but Richard senior has left big shoes to fill. Rick does not think that he deserves to sit in that chair where he used to pretend to be a man as an excited kid. For a few seconds, he stares at the desk. Many family pictures crowd the table, and most of them depict summer vacation at the ranch.

He looks through most of the pictures, and Rick easily remembers a better time. He continues to look for one, which he knows grandpa Richard loved. A knock at the door distracts Rick. He sighs, and he goes to open it.

"Hello," she hesitantly says.

"Hi, Maggie?" Rick replies, and he has to quiet the hostility in his voice. "How can I help you?"

Rick's voice carries the rawness of his emotions. He does not want to expand on any topics with a woman who might supposedly be his sister.

"You're mad," She uses the very innocent tone that always made her above his wrath.

However, Rick is far from the man who he used to be. He crosses his arms, and he ponders on the direction this conversation might take.

"I have thousands of reason to be mad, but don't worry, I have no desire to have that conversation with you or anyone," Rick replies, and he waits for Maggie to get the message.

She does not leave as Rick expected. She moves inside the room, and she picks one of the pictures on the table. She shows it to Rick, and it is a young Michonne missing a tooth. She is smiling brightly. Maggie picks another picture, and it is Rick and Michonne asleep by the Christmas tree. She picks more frame until she finds one where she is on the picture.

"Michonne is not even his granddaughter, but she is on more pictures of this family than I am." Maggie sighs, and she grabs another picture, "Look, it seems it finally happened. Michonne is Mrs Grimes. It is no longer just a picture." She continues to speak.

Rick stares at Maggie, and it is easy to notice resentment. If he is right about his theory, she might feel as if Michonne stole her spot.

"No one competed with Michonne at grandpa's eyes. She was his favourite, and it did not change how he loved everyone else. That includes you." Rick states, and he does not want to have any form of conversation with Maggie.

"Well, she gets everything, right?" Maggie bitterly laughs. "Her dream husband, the family heirloom, and the family fortune. Yet, this is not her family. Make it make sense," she demands an explanation from Rick.

"She did not ask for it. As far as I know, I willingly married Michonne. The part of the company that she owns belongs to her grandfather. Grandpa Morgan was more family to grandpa than anyone was. It is Grimes and Jones. As far as I am concerned, Michonne only has what was already hers. I included." Rick replies with convictions, "If it is what has motivated you to contest the will, I don't know what to tell you besides that jealousy do not become you. You got what you deserved, and grandpa made sure that I had to see through your needs. What do you need more? A company that you can't run? Carlton's recognition? You will be a fool from running after that, but again, it might be genetic. Like father; like daughter." Rick finishes without an ounce of care for how hurtful he might be.

Maggie swallows her nerves for a second. She stutters, and her reaction is the confirmation, which Rick needed.

"What are you talking about, Rick?" Maggie feigns the confusion.

"Whatever, it matters little. I want very little to do with you or Carlton. Rest assured that you will continue to receive your monthly allowance. That money, which you get from only being from the family. If you ever feel like questioning your position in this family, remember you have not worked a day in your life. Yet, you live in luxury." Rick's words are sharp knives.

"You did not even want her," Maggie says, and Rick does not know why she obsesses on Michonne, "You were busy playing the big brother in her life, but you did not even like her." Her bitterness poisons every word.

Rick sighs, and he does not have time for this. The race at Grandpa Richard inheritance has unearthed the hypocrisy. The ugliness is roaring.

"Does it matter now? I assure you she did not drag me to the altar," Rick repeats to force the reality into Maggie.

"She told uncle Carlton about what happened at Christmas Eve. I heard it all what uncle Carlton told you. It all happened because of Michonne. She knew how he would react. She wanted you out of the house. Why don't you hate her? She broke our family." Maggie says with eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Rick stares at Maggie, and it is her words against Michonne's ones. One look suffices, and Rick does not need more to tell who was sincere. Not once Michonne attempted to throw Maggie under the bus.

"Michonne told you," Rick states with frustration, "She trusted you with it because she thought you were her best friend. As I said, I want little to do with you or Carlton." Rick emphasizes his last words.

"Don't you see what she is doing?" Maggie asks, and the tears begin to drench her face, "She is trying to make you hate everyone but her. She always did want you for her own."

"Get out, now." Rick grabs Maggie's arm, and he throws her out of the office.

* * *

 **Hi** , Michonne sends the message, and she stares at the door.

Sasha has left for a minute, and Michonne has decided to use the opportunity to execute her plan. She does not focus on what her doctor tells her.

"So your husband has said that you have not been sexually active in the last couple of weeks." He questions.

Michonne stares at her phone, and she misses the entirety of the question.

"Mrs Grimes," Michonne's doctor insists.

"Sorry," Michonne looks away from her phone, "I'm sorry I did not catch the question."

"No problem, I asked about your sexual activity in the last couple of weeks, and we had your second blood test. All your results are normal. Your hormones are all those of a healthy individual. We might have had a false positive…" Michonne loses the rest of the conversation while her phone begins to blink.

 **It was time. We have a lot to talk about now.** She reads with curiosity.

"Mrs Grimes?" Her doctor says to gain her attention.

"I heard everything is normal. Thank you, doctor." Michonne says with a polite smile.

"Okay and so you confirm your husband claim." The doctor insists for the third time.

"I do," Michonne agrees without thinking to ask about those claim, "Do I have to answer more question?"

"No, you clear my doubts about your beta hCG. Definitely, a false positive. There is nothing to worry about, and we will release you tomorrow." He adds with a smile, and Michonne has cleared any doubt about her miscarriage.

"Thank you," she says as he walks out of the room.

 **What did you want the other time?** Michonne quickly sends the message, and she continues to worry about Sasha returns.

 **To talk to you and I still need to talk to you, baby.** Philip replies. **This shit is serious**.

 **I was not driving.** Michonne sends her message.

 **No one else knows that, and we need to talk about that. Are you going to talk to me or not**? The message carries an aggressive undertone.

Michonne is about to reply when the door opens. Sasha walks in with a cup of hot coffee, and she has another one of hibiscus tea for Michonne.

"Here, and tell Rick to stop texting me about pillows or adding slices of lime to your tea," Sasha announces with frustration as she passes the cup to Michonne.

Michonne shoves her phone between her legs. She stops the call before it goes through. She takes the tea, and she blows on the top to cool it down.

"Rick is infernal," Michonne sighs, but she is thankful for the lime in her tea.

"He needs a reminder that I am your assistant. I know what you like better than he does," Sasha complains.

Michonne laughs, and she would agree with Sasha if she had put these lime slices in her last tea.

"Good luck with that," Michonne replies.

"The vote of confidence," Sasha laughs, "It is a good thing you are moving with him. I'm not dealing with this harassment every day. Why doesn't he call you to ask how you feel every second?" She goes through her phone to show the number of call in three hours.

Michonne rolls her eyes, and she takes a big sip of her tea.

"I' m not picking his calls, and from what I hear it is a good decision," Michonne replies.

Sasha is about to speak when her phone rings, and she sighs with a glance at the caller.

"I swear Rick if you ask me if I gave her more pillows, I will blacklist your numbers," Sasha utters each word with frustration. "She pays me to watch over her, and yes, I know that." The exhaustion in Sasha's voice is growing, "Michonne, tell him to stop." Sasha shoves the phone to Michonne's ear.

"Richard, bye." Michonne hangs up, and she returns the phone to Sasha.

* * *

Rick shoves his phone in his pocket, and he needs to stop worrying about Michonne. She is not going to have a second accident in the hospital, nor is she going to die if there are no limes in her tea.

He places his phone on the sink, and he begins to remove his clothes. His flight home is later at night, and Rick intends to take a bath before heading at the airport. He thinks about calling again, but his conversation with his therapist weights on his mind.

Rick sighs, and he runs his shower. He needs a few minutes to think. He is not sure of his decision to live with Michonne. He needs to be in control of his environment, and yet, he has established how dangerous his controlling behaviours are.

The sound of the flowing water covers the click of the door. Rick has his forehead resting on the shower wall, and he does not notice the person invading his privacy until she speaks.

"You don't mind if I join you," Jessie purrs.

Rick abruptly turns to face his stepmother as she begins to disrobe. For a second, he freezes. His entire muscle tenses and he drowns in anxiety. He watches her begin to move, and Rick's body is out of his control. He merely dodges when she reaches for him. He begs himself to step out of the terror. His brain is bombarding him with images of Jessie whispering sweet nothing while she completely ignores his shouts.

Jessie presses her lips to his, and Rick finally slips out of his trance. His muscles almost feel weak. Her hands are all over him, and he feels his throat constricts. With as much strength as he can, Rick pushes Jessie.

"Don't touch me," Rick hurls, and his anger and disgust with Jessie and himself paralyse him.

Jessie rises from the floor, and she appears completely unbothered by Rick's reaction.

"Stop pretending, Rick." She cajoles, "I know you miss us."

Rick grabs a towel, and he covers his nakedness.

"You're insane, Jessica." He struggles with his words, and anxiety consumes Rick's mind. "Get out," He commands.

Jessie reaches for Rick's hand, and she forcefully presses his hand on her pussy. A moan crawls out of her lips.

"You see how wet I am for you," She moans, "Rick, please. We can be together now."

Rick draws a deep breath, and he snatches his hand away from Jessie. His body is trembling, and he feels stuck in a loop of Christmas Eve. His actions are instinctive. Rick grabs Jessie by the arm, and he picks her clothes, which she discarded on the floor. He drags her with bruising strength out of his room. He throws her into the corridor with her clothes.

"Stay the fuck away from me," Rick commands.

He does not glance at Jessie, and he does not care for the insanities, which she begins to spew out of her mouth. Rick locks the door with trembling hands, and he sinks to the floor. His mind feels like he has not left that night. Michonne's eyes are on him. Jessie is moaning above him, and she is telling him that he wants her. He feels her hands over him. Rick cannot stop the thought, and he drags his knees to his chest to form a shield against his thoughts.

* * *

Michonne stares at Rick, and she cannot explain his change in demeanour. He puts her suitcase in the car, and he has not spared her a word since he arrived. She does not miss the bag under his eyes.

"Rick?" Michonne asks when the silence becomes unbearable.

Rick fails to regain a form of control, and he practically fled the ranch after the incident with Jessie. He has toyed with the idea to draw divorce papers and give it to Michonne. After last night, he became evident that he is not a fraction of the man, who he should be to win Michonne's back. His demons overwhelm him.

"Do you need anything?" He asks without really caring for the answer, and Rick attempts to focus on anything but the oppressive thoughts of Jessie's touching him.

"A conversation," She replies with sarcasm.

Rick's emotions are beyond his control. He looks at Michonne, and he almost snaps at her. He draws a deep breath.

"Do you want it for now?" Rick feigns nonchalance, and he tells himself to hold onto his emotions.

"Oh, do I have to give you a day notice?" Michonne's words drip with sarcasm, and she is slightly nervous. "Do I need a court order too?" She does not intend the sharpness of her voice, but it echoes above the humour.

Rick sighs, and she is making it harder for him. Does she only know how hard he is trying? Does she how broken he feels? Does Michonne understand how his past weight on any progress of their relationship?

"Fuck you, Michonne." Rick gives in to his feeling of frustration.

Rick immediately regrets the outburst, but he can admit that he has a minute of satisfaction. Michonne stares at Rick, and she gears for a fight.

"I'm sorry…" Rick breathes the words, and he rushes the apology, "I don't want to be an ass tonight. Can we save that conversation for any other day?" He pleads with Michonne, and he does not want to ruin everything.

Despite his best effort, Rick won't hesitate to be the worse version of himself to quiet his thoughts. Obviously, he is doing an amazing job ruining all his chance to correct his mistakes.

"You know this is not trying," Michonne expresses her frustration, "This is you being a piece of shit. A controlling piece of shit." She adds with resentment, and Michonne has to convince herself to be unforgivable with Rick.

"Thanks for your insights, Mimi." Rick deadpans. "Do you want to go on, or do you need my help to list how very up I am messed?" He adds with the intention to lengthen the argument.

Michonne glares at Rick, and she searches for the right words. She draws a deep breath. How is she going to live with this man? Despite her reluctance, she has allowed a piece of hope to cling onto her.

"What is wrong with you?" She settles for a reasonable conversation.

"I'm fine," Rick dismissively replies, and he does not bother to look at Michonne.

"Trying my ass," Michonne mumbles, and even against her best interest, she almost believed Rick.

"You're absolutely right. I'm struggling, I'm biting my tongue, and I'm trying not to snap at you for something that you haven't done." Rick sighs, and he parks his car in the basement of his apartment complex.

Michonne rolls her eyes, and she has no idea how truthful he is being with her. Rick draws a deep breath, and he leaves the car. Michonne watches him pace, and his emotional turmoil is evident.

"Rick?" Michonne softly says, and it only adds to Rick's frustration.

She reaches for him, and he dodges her hand. He is not ready for any form of intimate contact. His muscles tense at the idea of a simple touch.

"Don't touch me," His abrasiveness is involuntary, and he regrets it with no intention to take it back. "You don't get it. You really don't get it how much I just want to tell you to fuck off and hand you those damn divorce papers. This is me trying. This is me telling you to give a minute to get it together. And if you still fucking want a conversation, we can have a Guinness world record longest conversation." Rick corrects his tone.

Michonne does not know what he expects from her. She leans against Rick's car. She can tell that he is flirting with the edge of sanity. She extends her hand, and Michonne instinctively does it. Rick stares at her delicate fingers, and he slips his fingers between hers.

"I'm trying…"


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank for the reviews**

 **i don't own the walking dead**

 **please review**

* * *

 **Chapter XI: a simpler time**

* * *

Rick draws a deep breath, and he finds consolation in the fact that he chose to move forward. With his best efforts, his apartment is a zone of safety. Above all, Rick's home is his personal space, but Michonne has begun to take over said intimate space. She presently searches every corner for something, which Rick has yet to understand.

Rick watches Michonne move around his living room, and he does not know where to put himself. He feels like the odd element in his home. He stands out of her way, and he allows her to take over his space. Even with her broken arm, she appears to have enough arm to cause chaos around her. Rick draws a deep breath, and he only has to return every object to its previous spot. He needs to have a controlled environment, and Michonne appears to have an affinity for the disorder. He cannot help but question his decision to live with Michonne.

"Richard?" Michonne's voice drags Rick out of his reverie, and she only uses his full name when he utterly annoys her. Now, it means every second they spend with each other.

Rick moves away from the door where he leaned, and he hesitantly enters inside his living room. She has already taken possession of his home. He waits for Michonne to utter a word. Michonne stares at him with extreme frustration. A little frown creates lines on her forehead. Does she expect him to solve a riddle? She is going to pout and be gorgeous. Rick sighs, and he wonders what she has in reserve for him. Perhaps, rushing into sharing the same space was a mistake. Although, Rick decides to push the thought away. Efforts, he has to make some corrections, and he begins with growing patience.

"Tell me what has you in this state?" Rick asks, and his thumb caresses the lines on Michonne's forehead.

Rick stands too close for Michonne's serenity. His fragrance saturates the air, and the fabric of his shirt grazes her arm. Michonne finds his touch slightly odd by how tender he is, and she does not know if she has to lean into it or if she should erect impenetrable walls. Michonne does a hybrid of both. She pries his hand away from her forehead, but she keeps his hands in hers.

"Where is the vodka?" Michonne gives up on finding Rick's bar without his help.

She does not dare to look in his eyes. The softness of his sandalwood scent is already intoxicating her mind, and Michonne does not need to suffer through the charm of his eyes. She looks at the button of his shirt, and her fingers immediately latch it. She twists it left and right. Her other hand remains in Rick's hand.

Internally, Michonne wants to scream because the idiot has her acting like a blushing school girl. Rick's thumb flirts with the edge of Michonne's palms. He stares at Michonne, and he thinks about his words. He hardly hides his amusement at her small pout.

"I don't drink," Rick replies.

"I do," Michonne counters with a small exasperation.

She is not angry at Rick's answer. Michonne's frustration extends on her behaviour. If she continues to pull on his button, it will break and free a piece of skin. She should stop, but she oddly continues to test the button resistance.

"I know, and I have the worst first-hand experience with a drunken you," Rick whispers with a smirk spreading along his lips, " I had to dodge shoes," He bends to have his lips brush her ear, " I hardly rejected your advances in the male bathroom. That is a fantasy straight from a porn movie, and I had to dodge heels five seconds later. Drunk Michonne is a trip," Rick straightens, and he stares at Michonne with a teasing glee in the eyes.

His fragrance becomes overwhelming, and it smells like dreamy masculinity. Michonne rolls her eyes, and she tightly squeezes Rick's hand.

" I hear judgement," Michonne replies, and she sounds slightly defensive.

"a small one," Rick replies, and Michonne rolls her eyes, " A big one," He amends with a laugh.

If she was not apprehensive of his reactions, Michonne would enjoy the echoes of Rick's laughs. However, the frown on her forehead becomes deeper with each passing second of confusion and suspicion.

"Go ahead, call me an alcoholic." Michonne sighs, and she gears herself against Rick's bluntness.

She has heard enough of him calling her every name in the book. For once, he might not completely be too far from the truth. Michonne is not an alcoholic, but she has elected alcohol as her coping mechanism. However, in the last months, she has dealt with too much stress. Consequently, she has begun to drink more than she did three months ago.

" I've passed my daily quota," Rick chuckles, and he sounds notably amused.

Michonne cocks an eyebrow, and she is afraid that the lightness of the moment might pass. She pulls her hand out of Rick's one, and she needs a form of distance. She begins to move without actual purpose while she releases the button of Rick's shirt.

"A quota," She insists when Rick does not answer her silent question.

"I'm allowed to do something dumb once a day, and I think that I will keep in line for the rest of the night." Rick flashes his softest smile, and Michonne believes that she sees the ghost of a blush. " I'm sorry about earlier. You were trying to help, and I'm not good with help."

Michonne remains sceptical, and she fails to enjoy the moment. She can't quiet the anxiety, and she expects Rick to revert into anger. She stares at Rick, and she wants to ask him if he is feeling good. Michonne's hand reaches for Rick's lips, and her forefinger draws the line of his smile.

"I forgot how it looked," She hesitatively utters the words.

Michonne fears that the smile will disappear if she mentions it, but she cannot fight the desire to feel his smile under her fingers. She wants to know that it is real.

"I will try to keep it there for as long as I can," Rick genuinely promises.

He does not remember when his smile held a meaning. Rick does not know how he is going to keep his words, but he wants to remain hopeful. He kisses Michonne's palm, and the tenderness of the action prompts Michonne to remove her hand. Michonne has every intention to keep her walls high, and she needs the distance to do that. Rick does not hold it against her, and he steps back to recreate the gap, which they both need.

"You do that," Michonne says with a smile of her own, "and you get me a bottle of vodka." She adds while she begins to walk out of the living room.

Rick laughs, and he has no intention to help her fuel her addiction.

"Try water, and it is clear too. The last time you drank, I received a police call telling me that you had a car accident. Do I need to expend?" Rick asks with the ghost of a teasing smirk.

…

…

…

Michonne walks back into the room, and she rolls her eyes at Rick. Rick remains slightly amused by her display of irritation.

" The last time I was sober, I had sex with you. I am good at a bad decision without alcohol." Michonne replies.

Rick laughs, and he knows how dark Michonne's humour can get. He does not have to look at Michonne to know that she is wearing a smug smile.

" I see why you would say that. You broke your arm in that car accident, and I broke your back. That's equally bad," Rick replies with amusement.

"Did Richard Grimes junior make a joke? A bad joke but a joke," Michonne feigns excitement, and she resists her impulse to laugh.

"Now, I know you want to laugh at my joke. I'm going to be a southern gentleman. I will leave so you can laugh in peace." Rick teases, and he begins to leave the living room.

" Wait," Michonne calls for Rick, and he halts at the door frame.

She bites her lower lip for a few seconds, and Rick wonders what she intends to ask. He leans on the door frame, and he is not a miraculously cured asshole. If he sees Michonne squirm, he is going to make it worse. He stares at Michonne in a way, which is suggestive. He missed being in a situation when he made her stutter without a vile word.

Rick crosses his arms, and he waits for Michonne to defeat the abrupt wave of shyness. She draws a deep breath, and she mistakenly looks into his eyes. Her courage immediately deflates.

" Wife?" Rick purposely says to poke fun at Michonne.

Rick's smugness is enough to annoy Michonne, and it breaks the spell. She rolls her eyes for the hundredth time. He is going to drive her insane.

" You're such an asshole," For the first time since they met again, Michonne says it with lightness.

" part of my charms," Rick counters.

Michonne is less on her guards, and it is an oddity to have a banter with Rick. She almost sees the glimpse of who he used to be. Michonne stares at Rick with curiosity.

" Your charms?" She challenges, and Michonne does not want the moment to end.

She subconsciously holds on it. Michonne with all her mind wants to fight the attraction to Rick. However, there are moments like this one when she feels like the same teenager enamoured with her best friend's big brother. It is a sensation hard to disregard. Michonne crosses her arms, and she is relieved her dark hue hides her blush.

" You're the most qualified to speak about them," He counters with confidence, " You have been under them since you were thirteen." Rick chuckles.

Michonne's fingers frame Rick's chin, and she softly squeezes to stop him from laughing.

" I'm not encouraging you." Michonne replies with feigned annoyance, "I'm not offering a response to that. And then you're going to ask how big is your dick. It would get worse because well you're… I'm talking too much." She sighs, and she feels a bit nervous, " Now, I'm making your head bigger than it is already. Stop me anytime when you're ready…"

" First of all, I know how big I'm. Second of all, you're rambling because you need to ask me something embarrassing. Finally, I have taken your clothes off before, and so…" Rick knowingly puts Michonne out of her misery.

Michonne glares at Rick, and nothing can take away his amusement. Michonne scoffs, and she replies out of stubbornness and habits.

" When you did take my clothes off, I wanted to have sex with you…" She begins with hesitation, and she does not get to finish.

" And you make a better decision now," Rick teases.

" You know what I will manage with this single-arm," Michonne replies with frustration.

Rick cocks an eyebrow, but he does not argue. One does not argue with Michonne Jones when she speaks out of pride.

" You call me when you want to get naked," Rick says as he begins to walk out of the room.

" I said that I will manage,"

* * *

Phillip stares at his phone, and Michonne has rejected another call. He looks ahead of him, and he refuses to hide his frustration. He can care less about the woman laying on the other side of the bed.

" I have to talk to her," Philip expresses his frustration.

He stares at Andrea expecting an answer or anything remotely close. She sips from her glass of wine, and she drags her negligee up her shoulder. Andrea sighs, and she already had a conversation with Philip on the topic.

" I told you to stop worrying," She softly says, and she pecks his lips. The red of her lipstick stains Philip's lip, " it would be a mistake. What happens if she decides to record you or anything like that?" Andrea insists.

She does not believe that Michonne is gullible. Andrea caresses Philip's cheek. She would not think anyone to be so naïve. Even if, Michonne did not suspect the relationship between her boyfriend and Andrea. She never bought in the image of a southern belle.

" She is not that smart. Michonne thinks with her heart, and it is a big one. I don't see the point of going through all this shit when I could convince her to take the fall." Philip argues, " If we go to court, it is going to tarnish her image. I own her image, and it means I will be losing money." He sounds ultimately displeased.

Andrea sighs, and she cannot hide her frustration. The side piece position is not one to envy. This is a good opportunity to get Michonne out of her way.

" Look, I don't get why you don't do it my way. I know one of the officers in charge of the case, and he is willing to take the money. You did good moving her on the driver seat, but they are road cameras everywhere. If she refuses to take the fall, the investigation will be serious because she is a Hollywood starlet. Let pay the cop and have them temper with everything." Andrea proposes, and she knows how easy it is for her lover to fall.

The gravity of the situation escapes Philip, and he trusts the control, which he holds over Michonne. The accident is Philip's fault, and he never expected the paparazzi who he hired to be so aggressive. A drunk Michonne in the passenger seat did not help, nor did it help that he burned a red light to escape the same paparazzi who he hired. Now, he has a case of manslaughter in the hand.

As he said, Philip owns Michonne's image. Before it was lucrative to be in the tabloids and he planted the cocaine story. However, he did not expect the backlash to cause almost the destruction of Michonne's career. Paparazzi with a picture of her drunk and crying would have fueled the wrong rumours, Philip could not allow it.

" And where do you think that money comes from, Dre?" Philip replies with exasperation, " Look, I don't know what happened, but I have no access to her money anymore. What that fucking agent Morales asked is a lot of money. I don't have a lot of money. You don't have a lot of money. That bitch has the money." He shouts, and he resists the impulse to throw Andrea out of the apartment, which Michonne's money used to pay for the last years.

" We can still try court," Andrea bitterly insists.

" Stop being dumb, Dre," Philip aggressively says, " If I wanted a naïve girl right out of her country town, I will stick to Michonne. I will talk to her, and we will see how to have her make no time. We need her money. She signs your check and mine. She is smart with money." He adds with regrets.

He begrudgingly admits that Michonne has always been careful with her money. Each time Philip attempted to move it around, she always noticed the flaw in her finance. Fortunately, she never suspected him. She went straight to the accountants. However, now, he has no access to her money when he needs it the most. Philip needs to talk to Michonne. Therefore, he insists on the call.

* * *

Michonne slides her finger to reject Philip's call. She will eventually talk to him but on her time. She stares at the messages, which they exchange, and it is not enough. She knows every one believes her to be naïve, and she is on some topics. However, she knows Philip Blake better than anyone.

Philip thinks faster than many people, and it is not above him to play dirty. Michonne met Philip when she was young and naïve. She was still dealing with the aftermath of Rick's departure. Her entire world had fallen apart, and the entire family was not the happiest at the time. Coming to the big city felt like a deep breath, and she wanted a piece of happiness.

The Grime ranch had become a sad place. Michonne felt as if everyone hated her in that place. Maggie had been clear on who was to blame for Rick's departure. She had done so subtly, but Michonne had heard it loud and clear. The year between her eighteen and nineteen, king county was hell. Rick's memory haunted the entire town. It was her fault if he was gone.

When she met Philip, he sold her a dream, which she needed to buy. Michonne was a black girl from a small town. Yes, she was well off and beautiful, but it did not sell. She could not find an agent, and her talent was going to waste. Philip Blake came in with his stories, and Michonne clung to them. She did not want to go home because it was no longer her home without Rick. She did not want to live off her grandpa wealth because she was always independent. She learned from Rick. He always used to say that he could not rest on grandpa Richard's money, and he would make so much of his own money. Michonne wanted the same thing. She always wanted what Rick Grimes wanted.

Philip did help her to success, and Michonne is nothing but loyal. Therefore, loyalty drove her to date him. He was way older, and she was naïve. Fear of loneliness forced her to stay in that relationship. However, throughout the year, Michonne has learned Philip's playbook.

First thing, you always need to know what he is planning. He does not play by the rules. He won't sit and allow justice to run its course. She knows how stupid she sounds when she claims that she needs to understand. However, Michonne wants to understand Philip's intention. It goes beyond making her take the fall, and Philip loves to brag. Talking to him is the easy way to find how he intends to have her pay for his crime.

Michonne continues to scroll through her messages, and she has not had time to do so at the hospital. There are many messages from her bank. She draws a deep breath. Michonne promises herself to call the bank to see how much Philip attempted to move around. She restricted her account as soon as they fought in king county.

For a long time, Michonne knew that Philip did not always use the money for business' purposes. As a successful independent singer, Michonne pays for everything on the professional level, and it was easier to allow her manager access to the account. However, Michonne grew up on the lap of her grandpas while they introduced Rick to basic business rules. She knows always to protect her money. Michonne closed his access to her money as soon as she got tired of Philip taking advantages of her kindness.

…

…

…

Her phone begins to ring again, and Michonne sighs. She is about to reject the call when Rick enters the room. She looks up when she catches his steps. She watches him pick a bottle of water from the fridge, and she does not expect him to stick around her. Since their earlier conversation, He has kept to his office, and Michonne has explored the house. She is yearning for a shower, but she is not giving Rick a victory. Michonne will think of a way to undress without Rick's help.

" Are you going to pick your phone?" Rick asks as he draws the chair facing Michonne.

Michonne sighs, and she remains uncomfortable around Rick. How hard can it be to decide what she feels? Michonne does not know if she wants to crawl on his lap or if she wants to accuse him of every evil on the world. Rick pushes the frame of his glasses on his nose, and for a second, Michonne has her mind made. She wants to crawl on his laps. He always looked too good with his goofy and big reading glasses. Perhaps, she has a professor kink. Michonne sighs again, and she straightens her back. She is not a teenager. She does not fall for the cheap trick and southern charm.

" no one of importance," Michonne replies, and she expects Rick to return to his office.

Rick does not move. He is not as comfortable as he looks. He is avoiding sleep, and he does not want to have the past haunt his dreams. Rick is slightly irritable. Oddly, his reflex is to go to Michonne. He sits his bottle on the table. Rick silently promises himself not to be unreasonable. He needs to be around Michonne. However, he does not trust himself not to react out of habit.

" No one is insistent," Rick states as Michonne's phone begins to ring again, " No one is someone who I should know about or no?" He bluntly asks.

Michonne looks at Rick, and she faces glimpse of that controlling side. She promises herself to explore the topic when she has the heart for an argument. Everything is causes of a potential argument.

" Well, you would know about insisting…" Michonne replies, and she always appears to mirror Rick's emotion.

" Let say only fools give up on you," Rick quietly replies, and he takes a sip of his water.

Michonne rolls her eyes, but his words of flattery are soothing. She leans on her seat, and she quickly sends a text.

 **Not now, I will call you back.** She sends to appease Philip.

Michonne returns her focus on Rick. She looks at him with a subtle interest. She has not taken the time to look at him at the content of her heart since they met again. He is gorgeous, and it is an unfair advantage. Michonne wishes she could overlook how handsome he is to focus on the ugliness, which he can display.

" You did far worse than giving up," Michonne gives in the need to express her frustration, and she needs to vent about ten years of a wide range of emotion, " You walked out. Not on me on everyone, and they all knew it was my fault."

Rick does not have the appropriate response on the tip of his tongue. He feels too early to explore the topic, and they are too fragile to kick into the walls keeping them sane. He thinks about walking back into his office. He could stay there until he does not feel like kicking in a wall. Rick pushes his chair back, and he stands to leave.

" Don't," Michonne sighs, and she wants his company now, "What happened to try." She holds his words against him, and Rick has no choice but to sit.

" Is it a conversation, which you want to have?" Rick genuinely inquires.

Michonne only nods, and it is long overdue. Ten years is enough time to have processed. Rick's hand moves his hair behind his ears. He takes a big gulp of his water.

" In the first years, I got obsessed. I would overthink it. I needed to know what I did wrong, and so I will find you to fix it." She confesses, " I came to this city to find you. I didn't come because I wanted to be a star. I would have gone to LA instead. I did not want to go home without you because everyone thought it was my fault." Michonne searches her pocket, and she finds a cigarette, which she cannot light on because of her broken arm.

She throws the cigarette on the kitchen island. Nothing is going to make her feel good. She does not even know why she brushes the topic. Now, she wants him to disappear. She wants Rick to lock himself in that office, and he should never come out.

Rick removes his glasses, and he carefully places them on the table. He pinches his nose. The timing to have this conversation is not perfect. He pulls on his bracelet. He thinks of Michonne's anger, and she has every right in the world to be furious. Therefore, he thinks of it as an easy way to remain level headed. Michonne can be angry on his behalf. She is good at canalising his emotions.

" I always had a form of control on you. You did what I asked because you wanted to do it. It was nothing perverse. You trusted me not to abuse it." Rick muses, and their relationship is an intricate balance of power. " but that Christmas morning everything was falling apart. My whole world was crumbling, and I needed to feel in control. I needed you. You could give me everything. So I took it. I twisted it in that anger." Rick admits, "You don't think about it around me. You ease up into submissive. It happens every single time. As if you understand that I need control. You give it to me when you are trying to please me. I'm no longer your Rick, and you should not trust me not to be stupid." Rick adds with quiet displeasure, " I need to control everything around me, and with you, I go overboard." He confesses with a heaviness in his voice, and Rick has only brushed the tip of the iceberg.

Michonne does not reply immediately. She is aware of how easy it feels to give control to Rick. She fails to remember how tyrannical he can be. It suffices of a piece of intimacy for Michonne to give into Rick Grimes need. She feels too safe around him.

" I have begun to understand it." Michonne replies, " You're not perfect, and you do stupid things." She adds with a small smile, " stupid thing like hiring a lawyer for me without telling me. Are you going to tell me that the police questions my involvement in manslaughter?" Michonne asks with a frustrated tone.

Rick looks at Michonne, and his vicious side is lurking under the surface. Sometimes, a simple conversation draws the worse out of Rick. His fingers begin to tap rhythmically on the kitchen island.

"No," Rick's answer us concise, and he is reluctant to clarify the situation.

Michonne sighs and they have hit a wall. Rick, she can read him without any effort. It is so easy to go the usual path, and they are good at screaming match.

" That is controlling and belittling me," Michonne points out, " people left and right try to decide for me, and I'm tired. I think it is time I handle my life." She finds the strength to say.

" I'm trying to protect you," Rick manages to converse with calm, and he thinks about every word. He is not going to do anything stupid.

Michonne looks at Rick with scepticism. She matches his level of calm, and it is odd to have a conversation.

" I'm not five," Michonne points out.

"I can see," Rick counters with exasperation.

" You can see, but you can't process. You don't have to protect me from anything that concerns me. I don't need a big brother." She hits the nail on the coffin.

" I know…" Rick shows his growing frustration, " You can ruin your life and do all your shit like a big girl."

" We are not fighting," Michonne softly says, and she has to reign in her temper. " your fucking quota."

Rick blinks, and he looks at Michonne. He draws a deep breath.

" It is hard," Rick breathes the words, " to think that we have to rebuild. It is to hard to understand that I cannot shield you from the world. I don't want to share you with the world. I'm scared that I'm going to hurt so bad. I know…" He eases into the conversation, " I have already done that, but I can do worse. Don't allow me to do worse." Rick extends his hand for Michonne to take, " I get it that I shouldn't, but fuck it, you're mine. I don't want you to hurt. I want to protect you from everything and everyone." He admits, and Michonne intertwines.

" Are you protecting me from you?" She asks with a clear knowledge.

" I'm not doing the best job at it, but I tried for as long as I remember. It does not matter how I do it if it kept you far away. You don't see it as well as I do, but there is no much of me that you want to love." Rick replies.

Michonne wants to argue, and the pink glasses have never come off her eyes. She has a tunnel vision of Rick Grimes. She needs a hard reminder to admit that he has flaws, and those flaws often hurt Michonne.

"I'm just too selfish to let you go, and I'm too scared to let you in, Chonne. I can't unravel again. I fucking need control, and I might hurt you in the process. I hurt myself in the process, but I cannot give up on you. I need you to know how twisted it is in here," Rick explains, and his forefinger points at his conflicted heart.

"Not as perfect as you remember." Rick laughs in derision, " A fucking shell of a man. So yeah, there is not much to love…" He does not get to finish his statement because Michonne hits his arm.

Rick stares at Michonne in confusion. He silently questions why she chose that moment to hit him when he has deserved it earlier.

" once you told me if you do stupid things, I need to hit you as hard as I can. Don't worry I hit harder now. Stop being my honorary big brother." Michonne explains, and she does not want to hear Rick argue about how worthless he is because she knows that it is far from the truth, " It is even weird because you are kind of my husband."

" Kind of only…" Rick teases with an odd lightness

" Work in progress," Michonne smiles, " have to convince me how deserving you're. Remember that little monologue in the hospital, and I'm not saying that it worked. I heard you, and I might have liked it even the cockiness." She adds with a laugh.

Rick looks at Michonne, and he does not know what magic she works. However, she influences his emotions. She can drive him mad, and there is a rare moment like this when he feels at peace with her.

" I will take what I get," Rick replies

"Good," Michonne squeezes his hand

"Now, you need to fix an appointment with my lawyer." She demands with determination.

"Michonne…" Rick takes his hand from Michonne, and the progress does not mean complete change, " I can handle it. I need to handle it." His need for control has not suddenly disappeared.

" Say it with me You aren't my big brother, you are a man trying to get in my pants." Michonne remains unbothered.

Rick laughs, and he did not expect to laugh when he walked into the kitchen. The though is sudden, but he thinks that he has not been so close to happiness in years.

"That is not an answer," Michonne insists

"I will have it arranged, but I have conditions," Rick replies, and he has a difficult time compromising with Michonne.

" Now can you also arrange for a bottle of vodka so I can endure your conditions? " Michonne tacitly agrees to compromise.

Rick puts back his glasses, and he offers his bottle of water to Michonne.

" I introduce you to vodka, and I might as well save you from it." He kisses Michonne's forehead.

" Things I did for a silly crush, " Michonne sighs, and it was a simpler time.

" Things you did for love," Rick corrects. " I thought of your pillows. It is far too late to think about how in love of you were. See you tomorrow Michonne." He walks out of the room, and he returns to kiss her forehead,

"Goodnight, Rick," Michonne calls.

" Goodnight, Mimi ." He replies, and he returns to kiss her forehead for the second time. " remember hit as hard as you can if I do something stupid."

"Okay…" She laughs.

Michonne's mind drifts to that simpler time when Rick was perfect. That younger version of herself would cry tears of joy if she knew that she would marry Rick. Michonne almost misses that time.

Although, she has a burgeoning hope, which she fails to suffocate. She watches Rick walk out of the room, and she thinks of how easy it could be between them. It was easier when they were not all this perversity of emotions. She could trust him never to hurt her. Now, she does not know if he will hurt her on purpose or because he wants to protect her from him.

Michonne wants to return into those simpler times where she did not question how controlling Rick could be. She only trusted him to do good by her. Things she did for love in that simpler time make hold hope, and Michonne will continue to think that Rick Grimes is the perfect man for her. Rick is not completely lost to her.

…

…

…

 _For many years, it was genuine trust. Feelings came, and the scale shifted in one side. Rick always had to know that he had that power over Michonne, and he could not abuse it. She is a blossoming teenager, and he is a young adult. The easiness to blur the line is so big. Yet, Rick always strives not to break Michonne's trust. The neediness, the yearning, the not so brotherly desire exist._

 _Rick is twenty one when he understands how much control he has on Michonne. He does not think that she remembers. However, he would never forget how close they came to unimaginable chaos._

 _It is the night of his twenty-first birthday. Rick is drunk out of his mind. Shane is sleeping on the couch of Rick's apartment. Daryl is emptying his stomach in the bathroom. However, the door endlessly rings. When Rick finally opens the door, he thinks that he is having another very inappropriate dream. He is so drunk that he only registers that she is real when she hugs him._

" _hey, baby?" He returns her hug, and she does not know how to react. " Oh fuck, I said it aloud. Hey, Michonne." Rick corrects._

 _Michonne blinks, and Rick has been cold since he came for Christmas. He does not even call her Chonne or Mimi anymore, and so this is a bit weird. She expects him to yell at her because Michonne has no business being in New York. She has kind of run away from home, and she took the bus to be with Rick on his birthday. They spend their birthdays together, but this year, she does not know why Rick is ignoring her. He missed her birthday, and he did not bother to call. He has stopped picking her calls. She wants to make things right, and so a bus to New York felt like an amazing idea. Until it took the entire day, and she arrived so late at Rick's place._

" _Hello, Rick and please don't shout," Michonne says when Rick finally frees her from his tight embrace._

 _He stares at her with slight confusion, and he wonders why he would shout. Rick only wants to tell Michonne how much he misses her. The alcohol is greatly impairing his judgment. He pulls her inside the apartment, and he drags her to his room._

 _" Do you want anything to drink?" Rick asks, and he is picking the half-emptied bottle of vodka, " How old are you again?" He asks while already putting the bottle in her hand._

 _Michonne stares at Rick, and she takes the bottle. Everything always seems like the right thing to do when Rick suggests it.  
_

" _Sixteen," She replies after her first gulp of vodka, and Michonne begins to cough._

" _A fucking problem," Rick replies, and he takes the bottle from Michonne's hand, " This is…" He points between them, " A fucking problem." He returns the bottle to Michonne._

" _You're okay, " Michonne asks, and she gulps another sip of vodka, " You're not shouting."_

 _By now, Rick should begin his big brother routine, but instead, they are passing around a bottle of vodka. He lies on his bed, and he taps on the empty side. Michonne lies by his side, and she rests her head on his chest as she always does when they share a bed. Rick kisses her forehead. She does not know why she worried about the state of their relationship._

" _I'm drunk," Rick announces, " If I do anything stupid, hit me as hard as you can."_

 _Michonne looks at Rick, and she has been drinking the vodka as if it is water. She smiles to agree, and Rick's forefinger draws the curve of her lips._

" _You're perfect," Michonne states, " You don't do anything stupid. You don't pick my call, but you don't do other stupid things." She clarifies._

 _Rick takes the bottle from Michonne, and it is almost empty. He drains it and throws it to the floor. He looks at his watch, and Rick knows that his plan for tonight is not coming to fruition. Shane, Daryl, and he should have gone to the club, but Daryl cannot handle his liquor._

 _Rick looks at Michonne, and he thinks of doing something stupid. He does not think of it long because there is an ounce of sense remaining. He laughs at what Michonne says._

 _" You have a silly crush on me, baby." He adds, and Rick rests his chin on Michonne's head. " You think I'm perfect, and I don't want to disappoint you."_

" _I don't have a crush on you," Michonne argues, " I love you." She corrects because a crush goes away quickly, but love is a different feeling. It is far from silly._

 _" Let me guess, you want to marry me," Rick asks with uttermost seriousness.  
_

 _Michonne nods, and her eyes are hopeful on Rick. He tucks a lock behind her ear. He kisses her cheek._

" _You want to have children with me too," He jokes for a second because it is a silly thought._

 _Michonne nods, and she has in mind what their children would look like since she was thirteen._

" _Like I said a silly crush," Rick repeats._

 _Michonne does not feel like having her feeling insulted. She moves to straddle Rick. He has a moment of sluggishness. They are both drunk, and Michonne is bold.  
_

" _I love you," Michonne repeats, " I can show you," she drags her shirt over her head._

 _She leans to kiss Rick, and he has effective reflexes. He dodges. The idea does linger in his head. He does not always have the purest thought when he is sober. However, when he is drunk, Rick has a mind to have what he wants. He wants Michonne, and she is always so willing to give him what he wants. However, she also trusts him. He will always protect her, and even if it is against himself. She is sixteen, and he is twenty-one. Things between them are always flirting with indecency.  
_

" _Put your shirt back, Michonne." He feels sober, " Michonne, don't." Rick takes Michonne's shirt, and he quickly drags it down her chest when she attempts to take off her bra. " Now, can you get off me." Michonne reluctantly obeys, " I told you to hit me if I do something stupid. And what do you do? You are trying to do something stupid." The yelling begins, and Michonne is drunker by each second._

" _Rick?" She whispers, and she immediately gets his attention, " I'm not feeling good." Vomit comes to punctuate her statement._

 _From a lecture, Rick spends his birthday holding Michonne's hair while she pukes. He suffers through the tears because she wants to prove that she loves him. In Rick's life, he never sobered up as quickly as he did that night._

 _Rick knows the type of power, which he yields over Michonne. She will do the most reckless thing to prove her love. He never thought of using it until he felt as if he needed to control his environment. He only felt right that he controlled his world. Unfortunately, Rick's universe narrowed to Michonne._


	13. Chapter 13

**I don't own the walking dead**

 **thanks for the reviews**

 **A.N: if you follow me on Tumblr, you might be very aware that I have a crazy schedule because I'm an internist doctor at a public hospital, and it means nightshift, weekend shift, and many more fall on my shoulders. I' m also looking for residency. So, time is quite a luxury I barely have. Now, I have not abandoned anything, or I would have deleted the story plain and simple. So please just wait for the update, they will come on due time. to the many guests who believe update soon magically create time in my schedules, stop spamming my email, y all giving me false hope about receiving important email , and don't make me delete your fav story because i don't want to receive an update soon ten time a day. feel free to pm me here or on tumblr if you need to ask about a fic update.**

 **thanks.**

* * *

 **Chapter XII:**

* * *

"Don't you dare," Michonne warns Rick, and she draws a deep breath to hide her discomfort.

Rick's lips welcome a smirk, and he questioningly cocks an eyebrow. He knows Michonne will feel the silence. He feigns to focus on the task ahead. Michonne rolls her eyes.

" just stop," Michonne groans, and Rick's answer is again to cock his eyebrow, " say it. Go ahead and gloat." She gives up all subtle indifference.

Michonne waits for Rick to remark. Instead, Rick decides to feign innocence. Getting under Michonne's skin in a non-harmful manner has become a great way to return the balance in their relationship.

" oh my god, you're the worst." Michonne sighs, and she carefully watches Rick's expression, " Grimes, go ahead." She says.

Rick chuckles, and he continues to focus on the button of Michonne pyjama. He allows her to stew in her discomfort. Rick is purposely slow, and Michonne waits for him to gloat. Button by button, he reveals her silky skin and the arc of her firm breast.

" I have nothing to say, Chonne," Rick says, but his eyes pointedly say a lot. " You're paranoid, wife." He adds to tease her.

Michonne rolls her eyes. She knows Rick Grimes better than she does the back of her hand. He will celebrate the smallest win. She did try to remove her clothes alone, but Michonne almost twisted her arm when she did last night. This morning, she has no choice, and she has to take the help, which she refused last night.

" you want to, and you have it on the tip of your tongue." Michonne insists, and she suspiciously looks at Rick.

He laughs because he wants to add to his wife's annoyance. For many years, they have lost the chance to experience this side of their relationship. For once, there is no gravity to the moment. They are only playful.

" Paranoia," Rick teases.

He makes an extra effort to keep his comment to himself. It is refreshing to be free around Michonne. Although, some of the anger and melancholy remain. The regrets have not disappeared. However, Rick has a grip on the situation.

" I'm sure it's something about my boobs." Michonne presses the issue, and Rick only answer is to chuckle and open another button, " free yourself with the truth." Her forefinger pocks Rick's chest.

" Are you fishing for a compliment?" Rick's hands still on Michonne's waist.

His eyes display the rawness of Rick's emotion. His thumbs repetitively graze the curve of her hips. Michonne draws a shallow breath. She does not know what to make of Rick. The newfound playfulness and his effort, Michonne does not know how to welcome it. She is afraid of how fast everything can return to chaos. She has no idea how much her car accident has affected Rick, and so Rick's abrupt change scares Michonne. She does not want to build a castle of hope.

" Not at the moment," she steps out of Rick's touch, and he immediately closes the distance. Their relationship is borrowing from a tango." presently, I'm waiting for that snarky or inappropriate comment about my boobs" Michonne adds with insistence.

Rick shakes his head in amusement. He delicately pushes Michonne's locks away from her face and shoulders. He rests his hand on Michonne's shoulders, and his thumbs graze the notch of her collar. He slides his hands under the pyjama's shirt.

" oh you're going to wait forever," Rick replies with a smirk, and he delicately moves his hand on Michonne's shoulder to push the sleeves of her shirt down, " If I had to comment, it would have been on your ass. It would have been highly inappropriate" he leans and suavely whispers in her ear.

Rick pushes Michonne's shirt down her arms, and he is careful not to pull on her broken forearm. Michonne's healthy arm comes to cover her bare breasts. It is strange how she is overly aware of his presence. He has seen her naked before, and yet, Michonne feels as if it will be different now.

" Since when you are into ass," Michonne asks with scepticism and extensive knowledge of Rick's exes.

Rick pulls Michonne to him. She keeps her arm on her breast, and it becomes stuck between their bare chests. It is only upon contact that Michonne notices that Rick is only wearing pyjama's pants. She breathes to clear her mind. Michonne pushes away memories of their first time together. She strongly believes that sex would only ruin whatever they are attempting to build. However, her body is holding a different discourse. She shivers while Rick's warmth spread to her.

" Since never, I've recently converted." He replies with a meaningful smile, and his hands leave Michonne's back to rest on her waistline, "If it is a thang, I guess." Rick adds, and his fingers flirt with the hem of Michonne's lace panty.

" Please…" Michonne pretends to remain cool under Rick's caress, and she wants to show that he does not have overpowering effects on her," what brought the conversion," she forces her mind to stay on topic.

Rick leans impossibly closer to Michonne. His body almost hugs each of her curves. Without Michonne's arm between their chests, their bodies would easily melt into each other.

" my wife," Rick breathes the words with his mouth pressed to Michonne's neck.

Michonne shivers, and her mind is racing. The lines, which she attempted to draw, begin to lose their meaning. Rick's hands leave Michonne's lower back to rest on her ass.

" I knew you would say something," Michonne blurts to kill the mood.

She wants to return to the lightness of a few minutes ago. The tension between them is overwhelming. Rick's caresses cover her brain with fogginess. Michonne almost wants Rick too much to think straight, and she believes that he is aware of it.

" Yet, I haven't said a thang." Rick's chuckles reverberate in Michonne's skin, and she feels his smile against her jaws. His lips close to dropping a kiss on the corner of the jawline, " As for your compliment, you look beautiful with whatever you have on your eyes." He suavely adds.

Rick's lips are a breath away from Michonne's one, and it is breath, which she is afraid to draw. He waits and allows Michonne to back out. Rick's nose grazes Michonne's cheek. One of Rick's hand comes up to frame her visage. His thumb rubs Michonne's lower lip.

" Micro herbal eye mask." Michonne pushes the words in a quick breath.

"That," Rick whispers with sensual nonchalance.

He draws Michonne impossibly close to him. She removes the arm on her chest, and their bare skins brush and stick to each over. Michonne holds a moan when Rick's hand on her ass easily presses her to his growing erection. Michonne looks into Rick's eyes, and she immediately regrets it. His eyes are gripping. She can only blame herself and the memories of their night together.

" Do you want one?" Michonne asks with a need for distraction.

" Do I want one?" Rick repeats with slight amusement.

"The eye mask," Michonne clarifies.

" I know, baby," Rick replies.

His voice carries a tenderness, which makes the butterflies in Michonne's stomach riot. She continues to think of the consequence of a single kiss. Perhaps, she rethinks her resolves. She considers how stressful the last weeks have been. Rick made it stressful, and he could make it better.

" Do you want me to have one to stall? " Rick knowingly asks.

"Maybe," Michonne considers her options.

What would it cost? She has survived great sex with Richard Grimes junior. Barely, she admits that it took all her will power not to go insane. The conditions are different, and yet, there is a volatile nature to their new situation.

"Or," Rick senses Michonne's turmoil.

Rick knows Michonne so well that he can read into the small shift of her facial expressions. Now, with that forehead crease and the repetitive lower lip bites, Rick presumes that she is having a moral dilemma. He slightly steps back to give Michonne room to think. Rick makes his dumbest decision when Michonne is the sole focus of his mind. He doubts that she is different. Their track records speak volume.

" I can't have sex with you until we know what we're doing." Michonne sighs.

The truth is liberating. She looks at Rick for a reaction. He smirks as if he already knew the answer. His thumb offers another tender caress, and Rick takes the necessary steps to create the needed distance between them.

"Okay…" He draws a deep breath, and Rick is happy that Michonne puts an end to the moment. It is subconscious, but Rick sees sex as an easy exit. Emotions are harder to process than a quick fuck. He does not want to fall into old demons with Michonne. However, Rick has habits, which have become second nature. " You're kind of the wisest between us," Rick admits with a depreciating chuckle.

" Am I though?" Michonne challenges.

She could give so many examples of the mistake, which she makes and made to appease him. Michonne draws a shaky breath. She wants to admit that it is not always Rick's fault. They are extremely fusional. For the best and the worst, they fit together in an intricate puzzle. It means contorting out of shape sometimes.

The need to gravitate toward Rick often clogs Michonne's wisdom. Their living arrangement is an example. She could see all the flaws in Rick's logic. Michonne thought of the consequences. None of it was stronger than the magnetic pull, which Rick exerted on her.

Rick's hand again finds Michonne's face, and his second hand comes to frame her delicate visage. He brings his forehead to hers, and he tenderly kisses the tip of Michonne's nose. She closes her eyes, and they draw a breath in symbiosis. Somehow, in the air, there is a hope of what they could be if they could mould themselves into fitting pieces of the puzzle of their love.

Rick loves Michonne beyond what he thinks of expressing. Michonne adores Rick in a way that words lacks the depth to display such strength. Therefore, it becomes easier in both sides to act in an unexplainable way. Rick's lips brush Michonne's one. A taste of him is a temptation hard to resist. Michonne's nails dig in Rick's muscle. She feels as if she is falling from higher than anyone can imagine, and so Michonne clings on Rick.

"I want you," Rick quietly says, and his body speaks volume. Michonne understands how the physical aspect means little to Rick's confession, " and in a way, it is easy to say fuck the consequences," Rick adds while he ponders on the thought of kissing his wife. " not the wisest way to think."

Michonne sighs, and she can only accept that they switched position. Rick is no longer the one, who must think of the greater good. He ultimately can recklessly run after who he wants. Now, Michonne is the one who must make sure they avoid chaos. It feels like an impossible task. She wants to give in, and she wants to serve to Rick that instantaneous happiness. Although, she understands how everything will come crumbling at their feet.

"I want you too," Michonne admits, and she bravely draws a deep breath fills with his perfume to grasp on a piece of Rick.

"I know," He sounds as cocky as ever, but she does not miss the fragile hope, which resonates in the breath that he releases.

Rick dives to kiss Michonne. Resisting feels so futile. The consequences would never matter. They will eventually fight hard if they go through with their wanting. However, Rick only wants to kiss Michonne.

"Rick," she pulls away, and his lips graze her cheek, " I'm giving us a chance." Michonne knowingly adds.

They exchange a meaningful look for a few seconds. Rick kisses Michonne's forehead, and his fingers disappear in her locks. This morning, he needs to touch in any form. Small caresses, his thumb grazing her palm, or his fingers lost in her hair quiet his thoughts.

" I know," Rick reluctantly agrees, " Maybe, the apartment is big enough to avoid each other for a minute. " He suggests from experience.

" No," Michonne firmly replies, and she does not want to walk on eggs, "I haven't spent a night alone since the hospital. Last night was awful. I didn't want to be…" She hesitates, and the will to say her mind fades, " Am I sounding needy?" Michonne asks with frustration.

" Are you inviting me to your bed?" Rick attempts to clarify her words.

" No, absolutely not." Michonne replies with determination in her voice," All, I'm saying is that I have a big issue with loneliness. Your home is big, and I don't…" She thinks about the appropriate formulation for her statement, "I kind of missed you for ten years. Now, it feels like I am getting you back." She looks into Rick's eyes, and what they express warms Michonne, " I'm not inviting you in my bed, but I'm trying to let you in my life." She finishes with a deep breath.

Michonne cannot take those words back, and she does not want to hide them. Rick would kiss Michonne if he did not understand how they need to retrieve their friendship. He wants to win his wife, but Rick also yearns from their beautiful friendship.

" You can't say thangs like this, and think that I won't try to show you how much I need you." Rick states.

Rick pulls Michonne to him, and he crushes her into a tight hug. His chin rests on the crown of her head. Rick does not remember the last time when he allowed himself to be vulnerable.

" I know," Michonne nuzzles Rick's neck" but a step a day. I can't…" She pulls out of the hug.

" I get it," Rick says as he begins to walk out of the room.

* * *

Jessie looks at Pete, and she fails to hide her disgust. She begins to pace like a lion in a cage. Her angry eyes once again befall on Pete. She draws a deep breath, and she has no time for pretence.

" Do you know what will happen to you?" Jessie softly asks.

She walks up to Pete's desk, and she sits. Jessie's hands frame Pete's visage, and her thumbs caress his cheeks.

" They will find out that Richard senior did not receive his treatment. The police will look into you, and all your shady business will come to light." She explains with an easy smile.

Pete pries Jessie's hand, and he rises from his seat. He glares at her with growing frustration. He draws open the cupboard, and he pulls a flask. He eagerly drinks from it, and the warmth of scotch burns his throat.

" shut up…" Pete grunts.

The sound of her voice irritates him, and he is immune to her manipulation. Pete takes another sip of his liquor. He is tired of her rant, and he fails to contain his frustration.

" If it wasn't for you and that old man, we wouldn't be in this situation." Pete spits with viciousness, and he glares at Jessie.

He drains the flask, and he only wants to drink more as the seconds pass. Jessie steps down the desk, and she approaches Pete.

" If you weren't dumb enough to leave your traces behind, I wouldn't have to kill him." Jessie counters and there is no reason to be tactful. " whatever I ask of you, you can't do. Fucking useless." She shouts.

Pete has enough of the conversation. The flask falls from his hand, and he immediately closes his fist. Jessie has no time to react when he hits her across the face. Her facial muscles throb, and the pain is unbearable. The tears pull in her eyes. Pete hits her harder, and his fingers close around her hair. Jessie attempts to move away from Pete, but he yanks her back to him. Pete's free hand closes around Jessie's throat. Pete rests his head on Jessie's shoulder, and the foul scent of alcohol makes Jessie's eyes teary.

" shut up…fucking shut up, stupid bitch." Pete says as he tightens his grip around Jessie's neck. " I should have never listened to you. I should have dumped your ass as the golden boy did. The one who was wise enough to let you deal with old dick and the bullshit." He cannot hide his venom, and he can no longer hold it down. The words flow, and the truth is virulent. " at the beginning it felt like a good deal, I only had to give you good dick and avoid the insanity. I did not have to deal with the crazy, and it is a lot. I'm fucking tired. You want this solve. Here." Pete digs through his pocket, and he pulls a set of key.

Jessie attempts to fight his grip, but he hits her with the back of his hand. Her lower lip burst open, and she swallows a sob. Pete shoved her into a wall. He pulls one key out, and he presses it against Jessie's chest.

" the morgue's key," He says, and he releases it, " You can fix the problem all by your grown self, and you can take the senile man with you. I'm over your shit. Do as you and get out of my office." Pete hurls, and he pushes her toward the door.

Jessie wipes her bloody lip, and she pushes her dishevelled hair away from her eyes. She glares at Pete with hatred and disgust.

" Once this is over, I will make you pay for your foolishness." Jessie walks away without listening to Pete's answer.

Pete does not care to answer, and he stares at the space Jessie left. He knows her threats are real. His head is heavy with regrets and anger. He should have done like the golden Grimes. He should have walked away from Jessie long ago.

* * *

Michonne switches off her phone, and she pushes it down her purse. She walks through the corridors with as much confidence as she can. She knows the eyes are on her, but she forces herself to remain focused.

" You didn't have to come," Michonne quietly says to Sasha, who stands by her side. " between you and Rick, I can't breathe." She adds with frustration.

Sasha rolls her eyes, and she does not understand why Michonne feels the need to fight every battle alone. She continues to keep up with Michonne's long steps.

" It can't be that hard to understand that we're trying to help, and you should let us help," Sasha replies.

Michonne rolls her eyes, and she shakes her head at the euphemism. Everyone wants to dictate how she breathes and thinks. After years of limbo with Philip, Michonne craves freedom and independence. The yearning for a grasp of herself and freedom render her reluctant to explore more of her marriage with Rick.

" I'm sure it comes from a good place, but I need to breathe." Michonne softens, and she attempts to clarify her emotions, " So much happened. I mean…I have a lot on my plate, and…" she stops mid-sentence because she is unwilling to share her intimacy with Rick.

Their intimacy is so fragile, and Michonne does not know if it will last. Michonne sighs, and she looks at Sasha with a telling discomfort.

" Give it time," Sasha intuitively replies, " Rick does not want to hurt, and everything, which he does, is to protect you. You might not like everything, but he is not out to hurt you." She finishes with a heaviness in her voice.

Michonne stops, and she wants to ask what Sasha is implying. There is a gravity in the tone of Sasha's voice, and Michonne hears a pang of shallow guilt.

" I might not like everything…" Michonne isolates the sentence, and why does it sound oddly specifics, " Sasha is that everything something in particular." She adds with the uttermost interest.

Sasha does not flinch, and she is as guilty as Rick is. She fixes a serene expression on her face. Sasha won't forgive herself if Michonne finds out about the miscarriage.

" Why?" she asks to deflect, " Do you think Rick Grimes share deep and profound secrets with me?" Sasha laughs, and she looks at Michonne in a questioning way, " If your jealousy is making you paranoid, I will tell you that for as long as I have known Rick, we have been nothing but friends. He did not look at me like nor did I look at him too. He was too busy castigating himself over what he felt for you." She finishes.

Michonne does not reply, and she begins to walk again. She draws a deep breath, and she chooses to forget about the previous discomfort.

" He is not Philip," Sasha says after a long silence.

" I never said Rick was like Philip," Michonne argues, and she hopes Sasha drops the conversation.

Unfortunately, Sasha is not one to shy away from the harsh topic. She reads Michonne better than many do.

" For years, you clung to Philip because you saw a microscopic bit of what Rick and you had a share. Why would you not close yourself to Rick because of Philip?" Sasha questions.

Michonne shakes her head. She knows the comparison does not hold, and it never did. She would have dropped Philip in a flap of butterfly's wing for Rick, and Michonne did exactly that.

" If you want to know, I stayed with Philip because it was comforting." Michonne admits the truth aloud, "There was nothing to lose. They were no hope to keep forging. I had lost everything. Rick had walked away. There is nothing in Philip that echoes Rick, and it kept me sane. I couldn't compare them, and I didn't have to think of Rick. I wasn't happy, but I wasn't as miserable as when Rick left." She looks into Sasha's eyes, and she does not know if her cousin understands the paradox.

" It was bad. I did not love him that much. The sex was meh at the best. Got a couple of bad habits in the long run. He cheated on me while the air, which he breathed, was on my dime. It sounds pathetic and miserable. However, I didn't think of Richard Grimes junior. I did not cry so much about fucking his life. I was doing what Rick told me he would do. I was making myself miserable." Michonne looks at Sasha's eyes, and she ultimately sees the understanding.

" I know it's fucked up." Michonne voices Sasha's thought. "Do you know how ingrained it is in me to walk at Rick's tempo?" She sighs with frustration, and she wants to clarify why she is fiercely loyal to Rick, " I have known Rick all my life, but I truly met Rick at eight years old. My dad had died, and my mom was depressed. I was shy. I had nothing and no one to cling on. Mom, she was trying, but everything reminded her of dad. That holiday at the ranch, she never left the room, and I can remember it like yesterday."

* * *

 _Small fingers cling at Morgan's leg, and Michonne has been hiding behind her grandfather since they came to the Grimes ranch. There is another little girl, but Michonne is afraid. Michonne wanted to stay with her mom._

" _Grandpa Morgan?" she hears someone calls for her grandfather, and she holds him tightly._

" _who is that?" Michonne watches the finger points at her space bun, and she hides more behind Morgan._

 _Michonne wants to go home, and she misses her mother. She does not know if her mom has left to be with her dad. Her father won't come back, and her mother said that he left forever. Michonne continues to hope that he will come back, but she cries when he does not. Now, Michonne thinks her mother also wants to leave forever. She has not seen Michelle since they came for holiday in king county._

" _That is Michonne," Morgan replies to the boy with curious eyes, and Michonne hides more behind Morgan, " have you forgotten about Michonne, Rick?" Morgan teases, and he might be the only one remembering Rick claiming that he would keep Michonne for himself._

 _Rick looks at Michonne, and he kneels to look between Morgan's legs. Michonne closed her eyes as if she does not look at him, she would be invisible._

" _This is my Michonne," Rick asks Morgan with glee, and he remembers three years old Michonne following him around, " she is taller," Rick points out the obvious. " Hello, my Michonne." He shoves his hand between Morgan's leg._

 _Michonne stares at Rick's hand, and she does not like speaking to a stranger. She makes herself small, and she stares at Rick._

 _" Michonne," Morgan kindly calls for his Granddaughter, " sweetheart, Rick is saying hi."_

 _Michonne does not react, and Rick stands. She watches him with slight regrets because she did not take his hand. He smiles at her, and Michonne watches him walk to the other girl. Rick ruffles her hair, and she laughs. Michonne continues to stare from behind Morgan's leg._

* * *

" _Hi," Rick says breathlessly, and he takes the spot by Michonne, " You don't want to play with Maggie?" he asks with a certain curiosity._

 _Michonne looks at Rick through her reddened eyes. She does not know how he found her. She has been hiding away from everyone. She wants to return to their home. Michonne wants to go to her mother._

 _Michonne does not reply, and she wipes the tears. She draws her knee to her chest, and she hopes that Rick will immediately leave. He does not leave, and instead, he takes a spot next to her. Rick grabs a stone, and he throws it at the lake to make a ripple._

 _Michonne curiously looks at the stone dancing on the surface of the water, and then it sinks. She wants to ask Rick to do it again, but she does not want to speak to a stranger._

 _Rick looks at Michonne, and he appears to know what she wants. He throws another stone, and he offers to her a toothy smile. She says nothing, and she watches the stone fly on the water. Rick repeatedly throws stones on the lake until Michonne takes a stone, and she attempts to imitate him.  
_

 _Michonne is not as successful as Rick, and her stone immediately sinks. She turns to face Rick, and she has the question on the tip of her tongue. Michonne is too shy to speak._

" _I will teach you," Rick excitedly announces, and he grabs Michonne's hand._

 _Rick drags Michonne on her feet, and he places a flat stone in her hand._

 _" You have to choose a good one." He adds with seriousness, " then you have to throw it perfectly." Rick throws his stone, and it dances on water. " try now."_

 _Michonne throws her stone, and it sinks. She repeatedly does it, and it is a succession of failures. She no longer wants to see the stone graze the water. Now, she is only angry. She is sad and frustrated. She throws the stone until the tears burn her eyes. Michonne angrily throws the stone. Ultimately, she begins to cry. It is loud and ugly sobs._

 _Rick grabs Michonne's hand, and he drags her in his arm. She is half of his size. A tiny thing who does not want his hug. She struggles against him until she gives in because Rick refuses to release her. His voice is consoling, and he rests his chin on her hair._

 _" Leave me alone," Michonne groans in Rick's shirt.  
_

" _No…" Rick replies without missing a beat, " I will stay until you finish crying." He adds with determination._

 _Michonne wipes the tears, and she glares at Rick. She cannot maintain the façade for long, and the tears return. Rick only drags her head back to his chest. She cries with and without tears. It lasts forever, and Rick does good by his promise. Michonne is too tired to fight him, and they end up sitting by the lake. The mud covers their knees. The tears have dried on Michonne's cheek. When Rick wants to move as he promised, Michonne holds on his t-shirt. She has enough strength to keep him seated by her side._

 _" Okay…" Rick quietly obliges._

 _They stay in comfortable silence, and Michonne falls asleep with her face hidden in Rick's shirt. With the greatest effort, he lifts her. Rick carries Michonne back to the ranch._

 _" I will come to visit Michonne tomorrow, grandpa," Rick announces in an almost challenging manner, and Morgan can only nod in agreement.  
_

…

…

 _Rick holds onto his words, and he comes to visit the next day. He comes so early that he wakes up the Jones' household. Morgan does not say much, and he only opens the door._

" _Michonne…" Rick asks with determination, and he is already moving forward into the living room of the Jones' mansion._

" _sleeping," Morgan replies between yawns, and he can hardly open his eyes wide enough to look at Rick climbing the stairs to go to Michonne's room._

 _Although, Rick has no idea what of the eight bedrooms upstairs belong to Michonne. However, he does not care for the efforts. He begins to open the first door, and Morgan sighs._

" _she is in the third room by the blue bathroom." Morgan offers, and he gets out of Rick's way._

 _Rick almost runs to Michonne's room, and he carefully knocks at Michonne's door. He impatiently waits for an answer. She does not utter a sound, and Rick knocks again with more strength._

" _Michonne, it's me." He says with the hope that it would be enough to have the door open._

 _Perhaps, Rick hopes hard enough. The door cracks open, and Michonne's head appears out of the crack. She frowns, but the door opens._

" _I came…" Rick announces with a toothy grin._

 _Michonne does not reply, and she moves to her bed. She timidly taps on the spot for Rick to join her. It is nothing different from yesterday. Although, there are no tears. Rick begins to fill the silence with words._

" _You speak a lot," Michonne quietly says._

" _because you don't want to speak, and I don't want to leave," Rick counters with a small frown, but it quickly disappears._

 _" Okay…" She says and agrees that he speaks until he has no voice._

 _Rick does speak a lot, and he speaks so much that Michonne finds herself replying at little things with little comments. It quickly turns into a conversation._

 _" Tomorrow…" Michonne hesitates, and Rick cocks an eyebrow while he patiently waits for her to speak.  
_

 _Michonne does not pursue, and she folds her legs._

" _Tomorrow?" he repeats, and she nods._

…

…

 _Tomorrow, she speaks to him, and Rick does not have to talk Michonne's ear off. It becomes a routine, and Michonne is awake before everyone. Rick always comes to visit too early as if he can contain his excitement. One day, Michonne is the one knocking at the Grimes' door. She hardly dares to say hello, but she has her little purple backpack. Morgan stands behind her with a soft smile._

" _Hello, Michonne." Richard senior softly says, and he seems to know before she speaks, " Rick is going to be happy. We will put you in the room not too far from his." He knowingly adds._

 _Michonne smiles, and she has been smiling more since every conversation with Rick concludes with the promise of a tomorrow.  
_

" _Rick…" Michonne begins to call as soon as Richard senior allows her inside the house._

" _She likes him…" Morgan sighs with amusement._

...

" You need to tell Rick," Sasha says after a minute of silence.

She looks at Michonne, and she expects her cousin to understand why it is important that she speaks to Rick.

" He needs to know how deeply the hurt runs." Sasha clarifies.

Michonne laughs, and it is a rather sour one. It speaks volume on how much has disappeared through the years.

" Before he would have guessed what was wrong. Now, he is…" she does not know how to finish, " Sasha, please, I don't want to continue down this road. Let it be. I said what I needed to say. I don't want you to overprotect me or lie to me for any reason. Which is why I don't understand your presence here." Michonne sighs, and she would have preferred to be alone.

" If you think that I will let you confront that bitch alone, you're mad. Do you know how long I have been waiting to tell her everything about her poorly conditioned, heat damaged hair." Sasha says as she quickly knocks at the office doors.

" It is not why we are here," Michonne replies in frustration.

" Then why are we here?" Sasha asks.

" I'm tired of being a docile fool," Michonne replies with a calm smile.

Michonne carefully holds on a small file, and she knocks at the beautiful office door where the name Andrea Harrison lies in golden letters.

* * *

The sweat drips from Rick's forehead, and his curls stick to his skin. He comes down the treadmill. He picks the water bottle, which Shane offers. Rick gulps the water with eagerness, and he wants to return for another lap.

" on edge?" Shane knowingly asks.

Richard Grimes junior is rather predictable, and he finds refuge in physical exhaustion when he is not at his best.

" fuck off," Rick immediately spits, and he feels too angry to interact with anyone.

Shane grins with that so familiar air of knowing it all. Rick begins to walk toward the weight, and Shane follows him.

" I guess we're going out tonight," Shane casually says, " and you're picking a girl to go all freaky on because…" He indelicately begins to dig for the reason for Rick's mood.

Rick throws a murderous look at Shane, and his best friend would not have been off weeks ago. Rick has his coping mechanisms, and sex is perhaps the bigger part of it.

" You're fucking making it worst," Rick announces with irritation, and Shane remains unfazed, " Don't you have shit to do or a bitch to fuck. Whatever is daily Shane Walsh's activities" Rick asks in an attempt to infuriate Shane.

" Lil shit," Shane laughs, and he sits opposite to Rick, " You're getting so soft. I mean you used to go harder than that. You haven't even called me a worthless parasite trying to latch on your life. So, what's up?" He insists to get a meaningful word out of Rick.

" I already have a shrink…" Rick deadpans.

He does not want to explore how his new encounter with Jessie has made every insecurity resurface. He is putting a great face with Michonne, but Rick wants nothing other than to implode.

" Does he wingman for you?" Shane replies, " I thought so, and I know quite the place for tonight. You're still avoiding Lori?" He continues with a mocking grin.

Rick throws his empty water bottle at Shane who easily dodges it. Laughs echo in the empty gym, and Rick pinches his nose.

" I'm not going out to fuck anyone," Rick says with irritation, and he has considered the idea of finding refuge in old habits.

Shane sceptically looks at Rick. He cocks an eyebrow to question the reason why Rick would break a well-established pattern of toxic behaviours.

" yeah…" Shane draws the word, " So I'm going to bail you out of jail because you murder someone instead of a pussy." He adds with an unfitting seriousness.

Rick puts the weight down, and he looks at his best friend with concerns about the state of his mind. Rick cannot help but laugh at the statement.

" You're fucking dumb, Shane," Rick kindheartedly points out.

" No, I'm a realistic and concerned friend." Shane counters and he meant every word, " we have been here before, and your hoe's way has kept you busy and focused. I mean…"

Rick does not disagree, and Shane's odd way to express the truth does not change the veracity behind each word. Rick scratches his head, and the temptation to fall in comfort of habit is powerful.

" I'm kind of married and willing to stay in that way," Rick says with more passion than he thought.

Shane looks at Rick. Quickly, the stoic expression, which he borrowed for a second, turn into a shit grin.

" You've finally got common sense," Shane teases, " Then just get some of that marital sex." He adds with a mocking laugh.

" I wish…" Rick sighs, and he takes a bottle to gulp what remains of the water.

Shane cocks an eyebrow, and Rick sighs again. He does not want to think of a certain aspect of his relationship with Michonne.

" We don't want sex to add to the confusion," Rick clarifies, and Shane's eyebrow flies to his hairline screaming bullshit, " She does not want sex to complicate what is impossibly difficult."

Shane remains sceptical, and he eyes Rick with a single question in mind.

" How bad did you fuck up? Lori level of bad, or you did worse." Shane knowingly asks.

" Lori is a non-factor…" Rick repeats for the umpteenth time, " I was clear. I wanted a good night of fuck. I got lukewarm at best, and I was kind enough to tell her I don't entertain a relationship. She got a bit obsessed and faked a whole pregnancy as if I wouldn't look into it. She almost made me an expert into the subject. I avoid her because she is crazy." Rick explains what he has already told Shane.

" So what did you do to jailbait Michonne? I mean you did something to suffer the harsh fate of abstinence." Shane pocks.

" Asked for divorce right after fucking her brain out. Fucking panicked because it felt as if I had everything I wanted since I was thirteen and calling her my Michonne. So I had to fuck everything up because I couldn't deal with reality. Wrote a note and run away." Rick confesses, and Shane only recognises Rick's self-destructing habits.

" Lil shit…" Shane says with endearment, and the words are so fitting of Rick's behaviour sometimes, " One day, you need to fucking deal with that thing who got you all messed up because you're far gone if you're now hurting your precious Michonne." He finishes with a heaviness in his voice.

Shane does not know much of Rick's rape. He understands that the Rick who came knocking at his door ten years ago is not the same boy who he befriended in college. He never asked because the trauma radiated from Rick, and it weighed too much on Rick.

" Working on it, and it begins on grovelling at Michonne's feet. So this would have to do until I can get out of this space." Rick says as he points at the gym.

Shane does not believe Rick, and many things justify his doubts. Rick's anger is a slippery slope, and it is so easy to slide in the worst part of him.

" Or be truthful with your wife. Tell her that you need sex to be functional, or she might have to deal with the worst of you. Better tell her what has you so bent out of shape. I'm having a flashback from ten years ago." Shane worryingly points out.

" I'm fine…" Rick dismisses Shane, " She has her issues, and I can't add to it." He adds with determination.

"Michonne wants to talk to you," Rick reluctantly says after a minute of heavy silence. " she does not want to let me handle her case," He disapprovingly says.

" She is right because it is more of a shit show that I expected. Blake's lawyer is kind of a bitch, and she is surely coming for your sweet jailbait. The cops on the case are not what I will call the precinct finest. If it is going that way, I will rather work with Michonne than having you going berserk. I will schedule her tomorrow." Shane confesses.

He has begun to hit rough patches, and without a doubt, Morales is attempting to make things hard for him. He does not know why the cop is on Michonne's case, but Shane can only look into it.

" I will come with her. The last weeks have been rough on her, and so you don't throw every bad news at her. If it is bad, you let me know first." Rick says in a way that sounds like an order not to break.

He stares at Shane waiting for an agreement. Rick wants to believe that protecting Michonne comes at the price of many lies by omission. The secret of her miscarriage is only one on the list of many to come. He feels as if he has to shield her of the horror of her life because he has a hand in creating them.

Rick feels guilty about the car accident. The promise, which he made in a moment of fury and frustration, has come to pass. He has made her life hell by asking Michonne to leave that night. Now, Rick is attempting to keep the loss and consequences of Michonne.

" Michonne is my client. If I run to you first, I break the trust she will need to have in me. Forget about it. If anything goes bad, she hears of it first." Shane replies without hesitation.

" Shane…" Rick warns, and he is not going to back down on protecting Michonne.

" You're doing it to Michonne too," Shane does not have to extend on the statement, and the implications are clear to Rick.

" It's not what you think. I'm not playing a twisted game trying to control Michonne. I don't find some sort of pleasure doing it. I'm only protecting her. You don't know what that accident took from her. You don't know what I took from her. I'm fixing the life that I destroy. I'm not manipulating or controlling her to feel secure and masculine." There is a brief second of self-doubt, but Rick clears the ludicrous thought, " I don't do that shit anymore, and Michonne would be the last person I would try to use that way." He genuinely insists on how far removed his intentions are from what Shane fears.

" You didn't do that shit anymore because you stopped dating. You switched manipulation for domination because you can't live without a form of control on people. You're not having sex with her, and you're dating her. I say it is easy to fall into old habits. Just be fucking careful because I don't want you back to be the mess you were for the three years that followed whatever happened to you." Shane pours out his fears.

Rick's head falls, and they long ago agreed not to brush those years. The mention of it immediately makes Rick understand that he might be more on edge than he thought. He tosses the wet curls away from his face.

" I swear I'm not going to beat Philip Blake to the brink of death. I will surely not put Michonne in a situation where I am a threat to her because I'm insanely possessive and jealous. I kind of love her, and it goes beyond trying to hold onto the thing I lost. I don't want to rebuild the past with Michonne. I want something different this time. I can keep my demons in check." Rick assures Shane, and he needs the same assurance that he is not going to destroy their relationship further than he did.

"Don't go losing your wife, Rick."

* * *

Michonne holds on her animosity more than she expected to do. Sasha, on the other hand, does not bother to hide her dislike for Andrea. They sit opposite to the blonde woman, and she has a sly smile, which irritates Michonne.

" Hello," Michonne breaks the silence, and she has a soft expression, which throws Andrea off her game.

" You could have called before showing up," Andrea says, and she busies herself with a file laying on her desk.

" You didn't want anyone catching you sucking Philip's limp dick…" Sasha spits the words with a bright smile.

Michonne sighs, and she continues to regret agreeing to have Sasha by her side. Andrea does not appear bothered by the statement, and she expectantly waits for Michonne's venom. She never receives it, and Michonne does not dignify Andrea's taunting smirk.

" Sasha?" Michonne breathes the name with small exasperation, " we're not here on trivial matters."

" So what are you here, to begin with, Michonne?" Andrea asks with the same prideful expression.

Michonne carefully places a small file on the table.

" First, I wanted to fire you. I thought it was only fair to do it in person." Michonne says with a grim tone, and she begins to open the envelope, " I know you could care less, but my grandpa raised me right. I don't go around backstabbing, and again I believe you can't relate to class and education or legal and moral things for that matter." She continues, and she pushes the papers in her hands toward Andrea.

" You wasted your time coming here to be bitter, Michonne." Andrea's smile broadens, " attempting the classy act won't win you Philip's favour or keep you from jail." She adds a disapproving click of the tongue.

" I can buy myself, Philip if I shared your desperation to have him. I mean I sadly financed your lover escapade and those he has with the many others. I might have been dumb, but you are for more delusional to believe that we're in a sort of competition. I will offer you seek the appropriate measure for needed help." Michonne replies, "However, I'm here because my accounting department has found many attempts to embezzle my money and a few of my properties wrongfully sold."

Sasha curiously looks at Michonne, and she would have clapped if the moment did not hold a certain intensity. She ultimately stares at Andrea who has a short moment of panic.

" And how does it tie with me?" Andrea falters in the last words.

" Awww, if you require an explanation, Philip must have used you," Michonne says with an imitation of concern. "Here, you should start with the easiest news to digest," she picks a specific page from the file, and she carefully places it in Andrea's hands.

Andrea quickly reads the main lines and her expression changes with each line. In her eyes, there is nothing left but fury.

" What the fuck is this?" Andrea stutters with a voice trembling under the weight of anger.

" You're the smart lawyer, and I'm the simple-minded starlet you tried to rob. I think you don't need my help to understand. However, I will oblige." Michonne takes the page from Andrea who wishes nothing but to burn it.

" This is a series of transactions, which have not been authorized from my account too many off-shore accounts. Until now, it is all okay, but you like the little gift from Philip. Sometimes, it comes in the form of a big chunk of money, which he steals from me. Now, I don't have to explain the principle of complicity. You are a smart woman Andrea."

She picks another paper from the file, and she shakes with a sort of amusement.

" Now, this is better. If you were only an accomplice, it will be okay to deal with the law, but we have more. A few of my properties are no longer mine, and as far as I know, you handle my real estate. I did not sell them, and so who did with whose help." Michonne pushes the paper toward Andrea. " I might go to jail, but you won't be far. I guess you win more than Philip."

Michonne rises from the chair, and she looks at Sasha who has not moved from her seat. Sasha picks the file, and she has to read each word to believe that Michonne pulled something as big in such a short time.

" I guess see you in court is a good way to say bye," Sasha carefully puts the file down.

Andrea has a second of confusion. The real estate comes as a surprise, and she attempts to think of everything. She feels as stupid as she believed Michonne to be.

" Philip…" she attempts to tell Michonne that Philip must have made her signed forms under pretences.

" You won…" Michonne knowingly says, " enjoy the win."

…

…

She leaves Andrea's office with a small smile and quiet satisfaction. Sasha curiously eyes Michonne. She has a burning question on the tip of her tongue. Sasha ultimately decides to ask.

" How?" She eagerly asks because she does not believe Michonne able of such connivance.

" You know I always keep an eye on my money. I don't look in my properties as much because I had no reason to doubt Andrea." Michonne regretfully admits that she wishes she did not have a reason to doubt an old friend. " I saw many transactions that went to the same account. He must have had Andrea on the same cool-aid he got me, and they were sharing the account. He stole from me through her account." She clarifies for Sasha.

" but the properties," Sasha asks, and she knows Michonne looks into her money better than anyone. However, real estate is far more out of her reach. " You could not have looked so fast."

" I was not looking, but Philip attempted to sell one of my condos today, and it was in gossip page. Since I blocked the account, he must have needed money real quick. I had someone look into my properties, and I magically sold a bunch of home through the years. " Michonne clarifies, and she cannot wait to bring Philip down.

" Remind me never to be on your bad side. I missed this Michonne." Sasha genuinely says.

" I did too… I think I like it, being more of this woman."

* * *

The door opens, and Rick did not expect to find Michonne dosing on the couch. He puts down the plastic bag, and he quietly moves toward Michonne. Rick places his arms around Michonne, and he wants to carry her in her room.

" Hmmm…" She resists, and Michonne begins to rub the sleep away, " Do you always come back so late or?" She yawns, and she is unable to finish her statement.

" Or?" Rick asks for clarity, but he knows the response is what she does not dare to say.

Michonne removes Rick's arm and she sits. She moves loses locks away from her face. For a few seconds, she stares at Rick to find her answer.

" You're avoiding me," Michonne does not know how to feel about her conclusion.

Rick sits by Michonne, and she searches through her pocket.

" I need to smoke," Michonne sighs, and she does not know what annoys her the most now.

It is safe to assume that she does not take it well that Rick wants to avoid her.

" I got you nicotine patch…" Rick says as he opens the plastic bag, and he extends the box toward Michonne.

Michonne looks at the box with frustration. She needs a cigarette, and she does not care for the palliative. Although, she cares for the thought. However, she remains angry. What does Rick Grimes want? A happy marriage or a cordial relationship of avoidance, Michonne wants to know.

" I want the real thing…" She does not know if she is talking about a cigarette or their relationship.

Rick sighs, and he was not avoiding Michonne. He was avoiding these moments where arguments are unavoidable.

" I'm not avoiding you…" Rick softly says, and he pulls chocolate barre from the plastic bag, " I'm avoiding myself I can say it that way." He passes one to Michonne, " those are still your favourites." He looks at her with the hope that not everything is different, and Michonne nods.

" I wanted to have dinner with you, but I would have been an asshole. We don't want that, and so…" He takes a barre too, " I tried to get most of it out before I could come back." He chews on a piece of chocolate.

Michonne sighs, and she pulls one of her sleeves up. She reluctantly offers her arm for Rick to put the patch.

" I will try this patch." She encourages him to glue it with a raised eyebrow.

They eat chocolate barres for minutes, and the silence keeps them company.

" Are you okay?" Michonne asks, and she can tell the answer.

Rick does not say much nor does he think of the question. He felt like shit all day, and he does not know if right now he is okay. However, it is close to comfort.

" Don't worry about it…" Rick quickly brushes up the question. " Shane will see you in the afternoon. Pick the hour." Rick says after noticing that it was three in the morning. " You should go to sleep." He tells Michonne who is exhausted.

" No…" Michonne quietly replies.

" Don't be stubborn." Rick sighs, and he wants to carry her to the room.

" I'm not going anywhere until you feel okay." Michonne rests her head on Rick's shoulder.

Rick looks at Michonne, and he does not know how to react to the statement.

" I'm fine, Mimi." He kisses Michonne's forehead.

She looks at him, and Michonne easily finds the lie. Her arm circles his waist, and she tightens the half-hug. She looks up, and their eyes meet. Now, it is harder to lie or ignore what they need.

" Will you let me in at one point? You're going to tell me what is wrong. What broke you so bad that I have to hunt pieces of you to fix everything? Even if it is the ugliest truth, I can hear it." Michonne almost pleads with Rick to open on the pain.

" I don't want that look," He begins to speak, and there is that clear hesitation, " I cannot tell if you were going to cry your soul out. I did not know if you hated me. I know it was full of disgust. I figured it held everything. You will look at me the same way, and this time, I want to be able to use anger to keep me sane. Michonne, I can't risk it." Rick confesses his fears, and his thumbs graze Michonne's cheek. " I need you." He leans to kiss Michonne.

She closes the distance between them, and Michonne kisses Rick. For all her good intention, she is not the wisest when it comes to Rick Grimes. Rick's hands slide under Michonne's shirt, and he pushes her under him. They kiss with passion and need until Michonne's phone brutally returns their mind to reality. She quickly attempts to reject the call, and her lips are still tasting Rick's one.

" still not worth picking the call," Rick whispers against her lips.

"Philip…" Michonne only notices her mistake when Rick pulls the phone from her hands.

" Rick…" Michonne softly says, " I…" She wants to explain, but she becomes speechless when her phone crashes against the floor, " Are you insane?" She manages to ask after a few minutes of shock.

" Trying to fix us was a mistake," Rick says with a rampant fury, " If you will rather be with a real man, fucking leave. I could care less. I can't give you what you want anyway." He says with the same demons speaking through insecurities, and he begins to walk toward the door.

" Rick, where are you going?" Michonne ultimately rises from the couch. " Can you stop running from me?" She decides to tackle the issues. " This is your thing. Let me in, Rick." She rises on her toes to caress his visage. " I can explain Philip, but it is not the issues. Is it?" Michonne asks with confidence.

Rick draws a deep breath, and his hands frame Michonne's face. He rests his forehead against hers, and he feels so exhausted.

" I didn't have sex with Jessie because I wanted to. I think…" He draws a deep breath, and he looks into Michonne's eyes, " You cannot hate me. Please, promises that you're going to believe me. Michonne, if you can't believe me, I…" Rick looks at Michonne.

It immediately clicks, and she remembers their bathroom argument. She gives meaning to his words then, and now he does not dare to finish his statement.

" I think we were not meant to be…" Rick says, " I don't think you…" He speaks because he hates when Michonne chooses to be silent.

" I will kill her…" Michonne whispers and Rick looks at Michonne. " Jessie…"


End file.
